WASHINGTON — Common Motors mentioned on Tuesday the UAW is “properly positioned” to symbolize greater than 2,300 staff at new U.S. three way partnership battery vegetation with Korea’s LG Chem.

The UAW mentioned it appears to be like ahead to beginning discussions with GM on the “three way partnership to supply batteries in Ohio and Tennessee so staff could have a voice on the desk with a purpose to create good paying union jobs and advantages.”

The UAW desires U.S. automakers to acknowledge the union at JV battery services. The union has mentioned it represents about 48,500 U.S. staff at GM, although the automaker says about 49 % of its U.S. workforce, or 46,000 staff, had been represented by the UAW, as of the tip of 2020.

Ford Motor Co. final week introduced an identical deliberate battery enterprise with SK Innovation.

President Joe Biden went to a Ford plant in Michigan final Tuesday and instructed automakers “we want you to deepen your partnership with the UAW.”

GM mentioned each the corporate and the JV, often known as Ultium Cells LLC “respect staff’ proper to unionize and the efforts of the UAW to prepare battery cell manufacturing staff in Ohio and Tennessee at our three way partnership websites.”

GM added that it believes the UAW, “given their historic and constructive relationship within the automotive business, can be properly positioned to symbolize the workforce.”

In April, GM and LG Chem unit LG Vitality Resolution mentioned they might construct a second U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant, revealing plans for a $2.3 billion manufacturing facility in Spring Hill, Tenn.

LG Chem and the White Home didn’t instantly touch upon Tuesday.

The UAW has criticized GM for saying a $1 billion funding in Mexico to construct EVs, and Ford for opting to construct some EVs in Mexico reasonably than in Ohio.

Biden additionally urged automakers to not construct zero-emission automobiles overseas for U.S. customers.

“We’d like automakers and different corporations to maintain investing right here in America and never take the advantages of our public investments and broaden electrical automobiles and battery manufacturing overseas,” Biden mentioned.

The UAW mentioned final week Ford has a “ethical obligation” to verify battery plant jobs are good-paying union jobs. The corporate mentioned that will probably be decided by the three way partnership.