A fact from Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 7 June 2011 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
Did you know... that when workers staged a 1978 wildcat strike for higher wages at Volkswagen's new Westmoreland Assembly Plant that built the Rabbit model, the picketers shouted "No Money, No Bunny"?
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Automobiles, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of automobiles on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.AutomobilesWikipedia:WikiProject AutomobilesTemplate:WikiProject AutomobilesAutomobile articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Pennsylvania, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Pennsylvania on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.PennsylvaniaWikipedia:WikiProject PennsylvaniaTemplate:WikiProject PennsylvaniaPennsylvania articles
Latest comment: 10 years ago6 comments2 people in discussion
An editor took great pains to MOVE the article from Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant to RDIC Westmoreland -- without discussing it first, per Wikipedia guidelines. Furthmore, it appears that the move might have been executed by an editor with an undeclared conflict of interest.
I will move the article back to its previous title for these reasons: firt of all, it's self-evident the article isn't about RDIC, or the current facility, nor is it about what happened to the plant after VWOA (though it has a section of the article about that). The article is specifically about the facility's role as a VW assembly plant. This can easily be resolved by updating (already done) in the introduction the history of the plant after VW. 842U (talk) 15:49, 28 March 2014 (UTC)Reply
First, WP:COMMONSENSE would be a guiding principal here, is there a good faith disagreement to move an article title where the subject matter's name has been officially changed for 25+ years? Willis Tower should move back to Sears Tower? US Steel should move back to USX? Civic Arena should go back to Mellon Arena? The facility this article describes has 'officially' gone by at least 4 very different names, VW being 2 names ago, unless having 4 separate articles for the same facility is a desired encyclopedic alternative to changing the article to its official name.
Second, accusing someone of COI (among other accusations) is a big no-no without some proof. I'm not opposed to my first COI status & will sincerely welcome a 4 figure check in my name sent post haste, short of that please retain both your thousands of dollars & hypothetical conjecturing. Market St.⧏ ⧐ Diamond Way21:56, 28 March 2014 (UTC)Reply
I am not going to argue this or revert the title. We can let others decide: I'll turn this over to a CONTROVERSIAL status. 842U (talk) 01:33, 29 March 2014 (UTC)Reply
Not seeking an argument, just perplexed about current name status. Granted there are tons of old timers around Westmoreland/Fayette Counties that remember this only as the VW plant, but one could make the same point about the Willis Tower and USX corporation among other things, IMHO it would be counter productive and confusing to have 2 separate articles on such things as the Willis Tower or 4 for this facility. Market St.⧏ ⧐ Diamond Way03:32, 29 March 2014 (UTC)Reply
Sorry about the suggestion that you might have a COI. I saw that you created the RDIC article and thought you might have some investment in using the VW Westmoreland article to promote an interest in Western PA, real estate concerns etc. My bad. People have different concepts of "common sense" and naming conventions are variable on a case by case basis: just as Mies Van der Rohe's Farnsmouth House has had many subsequent owners, it is still called the Farnsworth House. In that case, there is no FARNSWORTH INCORPORATED that exists today defending those naming rights. Often THE NEW OWNERS INCORPORATED of a high rise buildings will insist on naming rights for their recently purchased building -- and then will work doggedly to re-brand a building. The commercial interests of an owner are not always the same thing as what's appropriate in an encyclopedia article. The article is not about branding or commercial interests -- its about the history of a facility as it pertains to Volkswagen. The later history of the site (Sony, RDIC etc) is mentioned just as some of the earlier history is mentioned (Chrysler Sterling) mentioned — in support of the site's role as a Volkswagen assembly plant and all without any promotional or commercial or "ownership" issues. We're evenly split, obviously, and cooler heads can sort this out. I'll put in the formal move request in the next few days.842U (talk) 12:10, 31 March 2014 (UTC)Reply
I appreciate your assumption of good faith. The name is no huge thing for me, my concern is that the article will lead to confusion that either VW is still involved in the facility or that it is still officially known as VW. I appreciate your point on naming rights v common name v historical subject matter, IMO naming this RIDC Westmoreland fulfills all concerns. The big question I have is do we create 4 articles for the same facility? Renaming Sears Tower to Willis Tower seems the only logical resolution in these matters. Market St.⧏ ⧐ Diamond Way02:16, 1 April 2014 (UTC)Reply