The future, joint-venture Ford BlueOval SK Battery Park site in Kentucky is on track to begin producing all-electric vehicle batteries in late 2025, which is a bit later than originally expected. Meanwhile, trial operations at the site were slated to begin this month, which are designed to test out the facility’s readiness in terms of building batteries in an efficient and consistent manner. However, one thing that hasn’t been clear is whether or not the new plant will be unionized, though we may have just received our answer to that question.
“Now, when the Ford SK plants open, that won’t be union labor because of the agreement reached between Ford and the UAW, between CEO Farley and [UAW President] Shawn Fain,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a recent appearance on Face the Nation. “And we respect those agreements and their negotiations. Now what it did mean, is the 10,000 plus UAW workers in Ford’s two other facilities [the Kentucky Truck plant and Louisville Assembly plant] in Kentucky got better wages, better benefits, a better life for their families.”
It seems as if Beshear is referencing Ford’s contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union last year, which got off to a rocky start that led to a targeted strike, but ultimately, both sides reached an agreement on a new master contract a few weeks later. However, BlueOval SK Battery Park wasn’t a part of those discussions, so it’s unclear if Beshear is talking about that contract or another possible agreement that may have been reached by Ford and the UAW after those talks had ended. Regardless, this is the first we’ve heard about any potential organization of the future Ford EV battery plant.
The UAW has long sought to organize future automotive EV and battery plants, even dedicating $40 million in funding toward that effort. Ford’s cross-town rival General Motors wound up reaching a separate deal with the UAW to unionize its Ultium Cells Lordstown plant in Ohio, but Ford has thus far shown some reluctance to follow suit. Interestingly, a recent rumor suggests that a low-cost future Ford EV crossover may be built at the Louisville Assembly plant, too, which does employ workers represented by the UAW.
We’ll have more on Ford BlueOval SK Battery Park soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
I don’t think Ford or any company gets to decide that a facility will or won’t be unionized – the employees vote on whether to be represented by a union. Those employees aren’t yet on the job and don’t know anything about pay, working conditions, work rules, and other issues that typically cause people to choose collective bargaining.
Kentucky is a Right to Work state. Unlike Michigan, the UAW cannot force membership or prevent Ford from making direct offers to their employees regarding pay/benefits. I don’t see Farley being very eager to arm wrestle with Fain again.
The governor does not ‘decide’ these things.
Employees decide it.
And if they unionize, that governor will be chasing each and every working person there for re-election votes.
Can’t speak out of both sides of your mouth there, Andy.
The article said the agreement was between the UAW and Ford it never said Gov Beshear had anything to do with negotiating the agreement. The Governor is just stating what the agreement is which currently it is non union. Employees could always vote the UAW in once the plant is in operation. Need to read the article closer and Andy is not talking out of both sides of his mouth he is just stating that the plant is non union which is the current agreement between the UAW and Ford. Current agreement does not mean it cannot be changed at a later date.