Members of the United Auto Workers union picket outside the Michigan Assembly Plant on September 26, 2023 in Wayne, Michigan.
Matthew Hatcher | AFP | Getty Images
DETROIT – The United Auto Workers union is working with Ford Ford CEO Jim Farley said Friday about future electric vehicle battery factories.
“I believe we could have reached a compromise on pay and benefits, but so far,” he said Friday, after the UAW announced it would expand the strike to two more assembly plants, one each at Ford and Ford. The UAW is holding the battery plant hostage to this deal.” General Motors.
Farley criticized the union’s targeted strike tactics, saying he believed the actions were “premeditated” and suggesting the union was never interested in reaching a deal before the Sept. 14 deadline.
The multibillion-dollar electric vehicle battery plant and its thousands of expected workers are critical to the future of the auto industry and are uniquely positioned to challenge the UAW, automakers and President Joe Biden’s push for domestic manufacturing have a broad impact on the industry.
Current and former union leaders have previously told CNBC that for the long-term viability of the union, battery plants must become a priority for labor organizing, whether or not they are discussed directly in a national agreement.
However, they are considered “wildcard” issues. Many of the announced battery factories cannot legally be included in current negotiations because they are joint venture factories.
This is a development story. Please check back for other updates.
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