The joint venture is building battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee capable of collectively producing more than 120 gigawatt hours annually.
Ford, the White House and the Energy Department did not immediately comment.
“Not only is the federal government not using its power to turn the tide – they’re actively funding the race to the bottom with billions in public money,” the UAW said.
In April, the UAW and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders criticized a General Motors-LG Energy Solution joint venture battery plant for paying workers much less than GM assembly plant employees even though it benefits from hefty U.S. government tax credits.
Workers at the Warren, Ohio, JV Ultium Cells plant start at $16.50 an hour rising to $20 an hour after seven years while union workers at a nearby Ohio GM assembly plant that closed in 2019 made $32 an hour or more.
Last year, the department awarded $2.5 billion to help finance construction of Ultium’s new lithium-ion battery plants, including Warren.
In May, the UAW said it was not yet endorsing Biden for reelection citing his electric vehicle policies.
