Updated
This story was updated at 4:31 p.m. with additional comments from the UAW.
A rival labor group to the United Auto Workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant has qualified for limited organizing rights at the factory.
The American Council of Employees was certified by VW as having membership at least 15 percent of hourly plant workers, said Maury Nicely, an attorney for the group.
Also, ACE was certified as having the at least 15 percent of salaried employees as well, he said.
Late last year, the UAW went through the same procedure, and auditors determined that UAW had gathered signatures from at least 45 percent of the plant's blue-collar workers. That percentage allowed the union to have regular meetings with Volkswagen officials.
ACE will now have similar rights, though not as extensive.
Mike Cantrell, UAW Local 42 president in Chattanooga, said it represents more than 50 percent of the blue-collar workforce.
"We are focused on representing our members and solidifying our partnership with the Volkswagen Global Group Works Council, which has said clearly that it wants the Chattanooga plant to be a 'UAW-represented facility.' We believe Volkswagen will honor its commitment to recognize UAW Local 42, and we will continue working toward the process of collective bargaining with the company," he said in a statement.
See more in Tuesday's Times Free Press.