US EditionUnions Seek Broader Foothold in the South as Workers Vote at an EV Battery Plant in Kentucky
About 1,200 workers at a new EV battery plant are voting on unionization amid concerns over safety and wages, a decision that could shape Kentucky's automotive future.
- About 1,200 workers at BlueOval SK's Kentucky battery plant began a two-day union vote on August 27, 2025, to decide on joining the United Auto Workers.
- The vote follows nearly a year of talks driven by employee concerns over workplace safety and wage security, amid a growing union presence in southern automotive plants.
- The facility, valued at nearly $6 billion, is a collaborative project between Ford Motor Company and South Korea’s SK On, manufacturing batteries for Ford’s all-electric F-150 Lightning and E-Transit models.
- Michael Adams, CEO of BlueOval SK, emphasized the company’s preference for direct communication between staff and management to enable swift responses, while employees supporting unionization highlight concerns about workplace safety and securing guaranteed wages.
- The vote outcome, with results expected late Wednesday, could influence Kentucky’s role in EV manufacturing and extend union victories amid the industry’s electrification shift.
46 Articles
46 Articles
Union vote uncertain at Kentucky EV battery plant as ballots are challenged in tight election
The Blue Oval SK complex in Hardin County manufactures batteries for electric vehicles. It began operations last week. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)The United Auto Workers claimed a narrow victory Wednesday night in a unionization vote at an electric vehicle battery plant in Hardin County, though the election’s outcome remains uncertain because dozens of ballots have been challenged. The preliminary tally from the election at BlueO…
The Messenger
Kentucky New EraAs workers at BlueOval vote, unions broader foothold in the South
Ballots are being cast Wednesday over a pivotal decision at an manufacturing complex outside Elizabethtown that is producing batteries for electric vehicles. Workers will decide whether to join the United Auto Workers and extend a streak of union victories in…
UAW Wins Union Vote at Ford Plant Amid Controversy
UAW Wins Union Vote at Ford Plant Amid Controversy The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced a victory in a vote to unionize a Ford joint-venture plant in Kentucky, but highlighted that 41 ballots are still in dispute. The union contends these ballots are an employer strategy to disrupt the unit.In a statement, the UAW emphasized that these challenges are illegitimate and urged Ford to respect the workforce's democratic decision. The union calls f…
Colorado Springs Gazette
Denver GazetteUAW union says it wins vote at Ford JV battery plant in Kentucky
By Nora Eckert
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