Workers At Ford JV In Kentucky Petition NLRB For Vote To Form Union

A “supermajority” of workers at BlueOval SK battery plant in Kentucky has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a vote to form their union with the United Auto Workers (UAW), the union said on Wednesday.

What Happened: The petition was filed on Tuesday, UAW said, without clarifying the percentage of workers who supported it. BlueOval SK is a joint venture of Ford Motor Co. F and South Korea’s SK On.

In November, a majority of workers at BlueOval SK signed cards showcasing their support for UAW. However, the company hired anti-union consultants in a bid to stop the workers from organizing, UAW said.

While companies can voluntarily recognize workers once a majority sign cards supporting unionization, in case they don’t, there is an election overseen by NLRB where workers must vote in the majority to form a union.

Why It Matters: In September, workers at Ultium's battery plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee formed their union. Ultium is a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution that makes batteries for the former's electric vehicles.

Workers at BlueOval SK held a town hall with UAW members from Ultium Cells in December to discuss the perks of organizing, the UAW said.

Last year, UAW pledged $40 million to support the organizing efforts of non-union autoworkers and battery workers in the U.S. under the banner of major manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz Group, Tesla Inc, and Toyota Motor Corp, among others.

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