by Adam Friedman / Tennessee Lookout
A coalition of labor and faith leaders from West Tennessee is urging Ford Motor Co. to sign a community benefit agreement ensuring environmental standards, local hiring and affordable housing investments before opening its new factory.
The organization, called BlueOval Neighbors and supported by the advocacy group Tennessee For All, has been trying to engage with Ford for two years, meeting the company at public events, but continues to run into problems forging a pact, according to Rebekah Gorbea, a spokesperson for the group.
“Ford expressed concern over the ‘legally binding’ part of a community benefits agreement,” Gorbea said in an email to the Lookout.
The group sent a letter to a Ford vice president and held a news conference in Mason last week, trying to force the company to the table.
Jessica Enoch, a spokesperson for Ford, said the company was engaging directly with the West Tennessee community, having spent “more than 1,000 hours meeting with community members and learning about their priorities.