CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – Volkswagen Chattanooga says it has established a policy that sets guidelines to interact with labor organizations, but the policy stops short of providing a pathway toward a collective bargaining agreement.
In a statement released Wednesday, the company said its Community Organization Engagement policy would allow labor organizations to have a “constructive dialogue” with company officials based on the percentage of workers who sign up.
The announcement comes two days after the United Auto Workers in Chattanooga predicted that the new policy could lead the company to recognize the union as a bargaining partner without another divisive plant-wide union vote. It would be the first foreign auto plant in the South with UAW representation.
Members of a group of workers who opposed the UAW in a February election have formed their own labor organization called the American Council of Employees.
The policy doesn’t mention either organization by name.