American labor unions have reached deals with automakers to produce electric cars

Major automakers in the U.S. plan to roll out new models of electric vehicles as part of contracts signed with labor unions. United Auto Workers (UAW). There are at least 15 new battery-powered car projects, 6 from Stellar, 6 from General Motors and 3 from Ford.

According to the contracts signed with the UAW, the three companies will raise workers’ wages, increase benefits and improve safety conditions at the factories. About 146,000 unionized metalworkers will vote in the next two weeks on whether to accept contracts the union has signed with companies.

Workers at ten Ford plants have already largely accepted the details of these formal understandings, which will be valid until April 2028.

For UAW leaders, the contracts were a success because developing new models of electric vehicles means protecting thousands of jobs and potentially creating many more. However, this number cannot yet be predicted because it depends on the speed of the transition from using vehicles with combustion engines to being powered by electric batteries in the United States.

All three of the country’s existing industries have established targets to make close to half of the vehicles they manufacture electric cars by 2030.

New projects

The UAW published several examples of new production lines. Stellandis will have an electric battery factory Belvidere, Illinois, It will create 1,300 jobs.

Ford has agreed to invest an additional US$8.1 billion in its plants, which will also be dedicated to making three electric vehicles, according to contracts released by the union. The new electric truck will be manufactured at the industrial complex Dear, Michigan.

In GM’s case, the plant Spring Hill, TennesseeWith a related manufacturer that will produce a new electric vehicle, it will probably be Honda. /ap