A coalition of groups pushing for strong labor standards and sustainability in electric car supply chains is calling on Ford to ensure a fair election ahead of next week’s union vote by workers at the BlueOval SK electric-vehicle battery plant in Kentucky. Ford must also ensure BlueOval SK respects the result and, if workers vote to join the union, engages in good faith bargaining for a contract that guarantees rights to fair wages and other benefits, says the Lead the Charge coalition.
Workers will vote in the union election on August 26 and 27 and the vote will be conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.
Members of Lead the Charge, which includes investor, environment and community groups, expressed concerns earlier this year after Ford refused to respond to investor demands over safety issues and union-busting at the Kentucky plant, and ignored community calls for a Community Benefits Agreement at another BlueOval SK facility in Tennessee. A letter from Ford investors to the car maker’s Board referred to BlueOval hiring “an anti-union firm”, “material on its website intended to dissuade workers from unionizing” and “anti-union flyers and media”.
Investors also filed a resolution at the Ford annual general meeting asking Ford to explain how it will meet its 2022 commitment to source low-carbon steel, a move essential to cutting its supply chain emissions. Despite publicly committing to source at least 10% low-carbon steel by 2030, Ford has so far failed to disclose a credible plan for how they will meet this goal.
Taxpayers have spent billions supporting Ford’s BlueOval SK joint venture to build batteries with South Korean company SK On. The federal government announced $9.63 billion in loans in December to the three BlueOval SK battery plants. Tennessee approved $900 million in incentives while Kentucky gave $250 million in public subsidies.
The union vote at Ford comes as another car maker Hyundai grapples with workers safety concerns at its battery megaplant in Georgia. Two workers have been killed this year at the megaplant and several have been injured in recent years.
Lead the Charge’s annual leaderboard ranks global automakers based on their efforts to build equitable, sustainable, and fossil-free electric vehicle supply chains. While Ford is a top performer on the leaderboard, no automaker achieved a total score of over 50% on the indicators. Hyundai is ranked in the bottom half of the leaderboard electric car makers and dropped significantly in its performance last year on workers rights.
Aaron Acosta, program director at Investor Advocates for Social Justice
“Ford investors remain concerned at alleged union busting in Kentucky and a lack of meaningful engagement with communities in Tennessee. They are watching the vote at the Kentucky BlueOval plant closely and, if workers vote to unionize, investors expect Ford to ensure that negotiations for a contract begin swiftly and are conducted in good faith.”
Carly Oboth, senior supply chain campaigner at Public Citizen:
“Ford has made public commitments to sustainability and workers’ rights, but its conduct at BlueOval SK raises serious questions about whether those commitments are being met. A truly clean energy future requires supply chains that respect workers’ right to organize, engage communities, and follow through on decarbonization goals. Ford has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership by ensuring its actions align with its promises.”
Matthew Groch, Senior Director at Mighty Earth:
“The future of sustainable EV supply chains depends on automakers respecting labor rights and climate goals. Automakers like Ford and Hyundai face a critical test in their battery plants as workers demand safe conditions, fair treatment, and the right to organize. Ford must ensure a fair vote in Kentucky and bargain in good faith if workers choose to form a union. At the same time, Hyundai must urgently address the deadly safety failures in Georgia. The era of automakers exploiting workers and the environment must end.”
Katherine García, Clean Transportation for All Campaign Director at Sierra Club
“America’s transition to electric vehicles must put workers front and center. Battery plant workers in Kentucky are leading the way to help the U.S. invest in clean energy and get cleaner cars and trucks on our roads. We urge Ford to listen to their workers and respect the outcome of the upcoming union vote.”