As Ford Authority reported last month, a supermajority of workers at the future joint-venture Ford and SK On EV battery plant known as BlueOval SK Battery Park in Kentucky recently signed authorization cards and subsequently launched their campaign to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. At that time, the UAW noted that if those workers ultimate organize, it would result in higher wages, given the fact that BlueOval SK was previously offering a $21 hourly starting pay compared to the $26.32 workers at unionized Ford plants now earn. Now, BlueOval SK Battery Park has decided to raise its wages.
According to the Courier Journal, BlueOval SK will raise its wages by $2.50 to $3.50 per hour starting the first of January, with operators going from $21 to $23.50 (after 90 days), associate maintenance technicians moving up from $24 to $27, and maintenance technicians going from $28.50 to $32 per hour at the start of the year. Regardless, the UAW sees this move as an attempt to prevent workers from organizing. “This is a strategy (automakers) pull to discourage the workers … from having a voice in the workplace,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith.
“As our journey at BlueOval SK enters a new and exciting chapter – moving into Kentucky 1 and the start of production – we are pleased to announce an increase in wages and benefits for our team members,” BlueOval SK Human Resources Director Neva Burke said in an emailed statement. “The increases for hourly team members come after a careful and lengthy review of comparable compensation and benefits data provided from multiple sources. We are committed to ensuring BlueOval SK’s total rewards package continues to grow and remains competitive with the market.”
As Ford Authority previously reported, production at BlueOval SK Battery Park is now slated to begin in Q1 of next year, which is a few months earlier than previously expected. Though the joint-venture is building two battery plants at the site, only one will be used – employing 2,500 people when it opens, while the other will remain idle for now. Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Energy finalized a $9.63 billion loan for the BlueOval SK joint venture – the largest ever to be distributed from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program.
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