{"id":2044936,"date":"2023-09-26T10:38:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T14:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ford-halts-work-on-chinese-backed-ev-battery-plant-amid-union-strike\/"},"modified":"2023-09-26T10:41:18","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T14:41:18","slug":"ford-halts-work-on-chinese-backed-ev-battery-plant-amid-union-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ford-halts-work-on-chinese-backed-ev-battery-plant-amid-union-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"Ford stops Chinese-backed EV battery plant due to union strike."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fford-halts-work-on-chinese-backed-ev-battery-plant-amid-union-strike%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2044936&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Ford Pauses Work on $3.5 Billion\u2064 EV Battery\u200c Plant\u2063 in Michigan<\/h2>\n<p>Ford \u200cMotor announced on \u2064Monday that it has temporarily halted construction on a $3.5 billion\u2062 electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, which is supported by a Chinese company. The decision was made due to concerns about the plant&#8217;s competitive operation during ongoing contract negotiations.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Union President Criticizes Ford&#8217;s Move<\/h3>\n<p>The announcement by Ford was strongly criticized by United \u2062Auto Workers president Shawn Fain, who called it a &#8220;shameful, barely-veiled threat&#8221; to \u200dcut jobs. Fain emphasized the union&#8217;s request for a fair transition to electric vehicles, accusing Ford of prioritizing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawsuit-alec-baldwin-had-no-reason-to-fire-gun-during-scene-being-rehearsed\/\" title=\"Lawsuit: Alec Baldwin Had No Reason to Fire Gun During Scene Being Rehearsed\">cost-cutting measures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ford\u200b has made multiple\u200c offers to the union during contract talks, \u200dbut no agreement has been reached. The fate of battery plant workers has been a significant point of contention in negotiations with the Detroit Three automakers.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Ford&#8217;s Statement on the Pause<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are pausing work and limiting\u200d spending \u200con construction on the Marshall\u200c project until we&#8217;re confident about our ability to competitively \u200coperate the plant,&#8221;\u2063 Ford stated on Monday. The specific reason behind the decision was not disclosed,\u2062 but Ford mentioned various considerations. The company clarified that no final decision has\u2063 been made regarding the \u200dplanned \u200cinvestment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>President Joe Biden is scheduled \u200bto visit Michigan on Tuesday to show support for striking workers at the Detroit Three\u200c automakers.<\/p>\n<p>In February,\u200b Ford announced its intention to build the battery plant in Michigan, \u200caiming to attract U.S. customers by manufacturing \u200bbatteries domestically in collaboration with Chinese partner CATL.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Governor&#8217;s Perspective<\/p>\n<p>Michigan \u200cgovernor Gretchen Whitmer expressed optimism, stating, &#8220;Ford has been clear that this\u200b is a pause, and we will continue\u200c to push for successful negotiations \u200bbetween the\u2062 Big 3 and UAW so that Michiganders can get back to work doing what they do best.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The UAW and some members of Congress advocate\u2063 for equal wages for workers at battery plants, aligning with\u2062 the higher\u200c wages received by assembly and engine plant workers.<\/p>\n<p>Concerns have been raised by\u2063 Republicans \u2062in Congress regarding Ford&#8217;s battery plant plan, fearing potential U.S. tax subsidies flowing to China and \u2063Ford&#8217;s reliance on Chinese technology.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Republican Representative&#8217;s Response<\/p>\n<p>Representative \u2062Mike Gallagher, chair of\u200d a House select\u200d committee on China, \u2063expressed encouragement at Ford&#8217;s reevaluation of the deal with CATL.\u200d He urged \u2062Ford to permanently cancel the deal.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In July, a former U.S. intelligence official testified to Congress, warning that the factory would undoubtedly bring Chinese spies into the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Ford projected a full-year loss of $4.5 billion for its EV\u2062 unit in July, which was 50 percent higher than\u2063 the earlier \u200bestimate. The company also announced a slowdown in its EV production ramp-up while planning to quadruple sales of gas-electric \u2064hybrids over \u2062the next five years.<\/p>\n<p>The implementation of new rules regarding future EV \u200dtax credits is being closely\u2064 monitored \u200dby the industry as automakers make decisions on battery production for \u200bthe\u200d EV \u2063transition.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, Congress passed the\u2064 $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which stipulates that $7,500 in future consumer EV tax credits will be withheld if any battery components are \u200bmanufactured or assembled by \u200ba \u200b&#8221;foreign entity of concern.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Ford Awaits\u200d Guidance on Battery Plant<\/p>\n<p>Ford is awaiting guidance to determine if the batteries produced by the Marshall plant \u2062comply with the requirements outlined in the IRA. The company has urged the Treasury to adopt\u200b a narrow \u2062interpretation of the restriction, warning \u2064that an overly broad interpretation could severely limit the availability of\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-taps-fords-top-electric-vehicle-lobbyist-as-energy-department-adviser\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Taps Ford's Top Electric Vehicle Lobbyist as Energy Department Adviser\">clean vehicle credits<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Some Michigan Republicans have raised questions about the $1.7\u2064 billion in state incentives planned for the\u2062 Marshall plant, which Ford expects to employ 2,500 workers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Published \u200dunder:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/tag\/ford\/\" title=\"View all posts in Ford\">Ford<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What\u2062 are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fifth-circuit-to-rehear-big-tech-free-speech-case-as-supreme-court-eyes-intervention\/\" title=\"Fifth Circuit to reconsider Big Tech free speech case as Supreme Court considers involvement.\">potential\u2062 national security risks<\/a> associated with relying on\u200b foreign manufacturers for critical battery \u2063technology in the\u200c electric\u2062 vehicle industry?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ntial national security risks associated with \u2064partnering with a Chinese company.\u2063 They\u2062 argue that relying on foreign manufacturers for critical battery technology could put the United States \u2062at a \u2063disadvantage in the \u2062global\u200d electric\u2063 vehicle market.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Impact on\u2064 the Electric Vehicle Industry<\/h3>\n<p>The temporary halt in construction of the battery plant \u2063in Michigan raises questions \u2062about the \u200cfuture of the electric \u200dvehicle industry in\u2063 the United States. As automakers and governments\u2064 around the world push for a transition \u2063to electric vehicles to reduce\u2062 emissions and combat climate change, the availability and affordability of \u2063electric vehicle batteries become crucial.<\/p>\n<p>The planned $3.5 billion investment by Ford in the battery plant was seen as a significant step towards\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-electric-vehicle-supply-chain-includes-human-rights-abusing-countries\/\" title=\"Report: Electric Vehicle Supply Chain Includes Human Rights Abusing Countries\">domestic battery production<\/a> and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers. It was expected \u200bto create thousands \u200cof jobs and position Michigan as a key \u2062player in the \u2064electric vehicle industry.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The pause in construction comes at a time when the demand for electric vehicles is growing rapidly, and \u200dautomakers are investing\u2062 heavily in \u200bresearch and development of electric vehicle technology. Ford&#8217;s\u2063 decision\u2064 reflects the challenges faced by\u200d the industry \u2063in \u200btransitioning to electric vehicles while balancing costs and competitive pressures.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>The Way\u2063 Forward<\/h3>\n<p>Both Ford \u200dand\u2062 the United Auto \u2062Workers need to\u2063 address the concerns raised during the contract negotiations to ensure a fair and smooth\u200d transition to electric vehicles. The fate of the battery plant and\u200c its workers should be prioritized, taking into account the long-term \u200csustainability of the electric vehicle industry.<\/p>\n<p>Collaboration between automakers, unions, and government officials is crucial to establishing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ford-halts-work-on-chinese-backed-ev-battery-plant-amid-union-strike\/\" title=\"Ford stops Chinese-backed EV battery plant due to union strike.\">strong domestic electric \u2062vehicle supply chain<\/a> and maintaining the\u200b competitive edge\u2064 in the global \u200cmarket. It is essential to \u2063strike a balance between cost-cutting measures \u200dand fair wages for workers to ensure the success of the industry and the welfare of the employees.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>President Joe \u2064Biden&#8217;s visit to\u2062 Michigan \u2064to support striking\u200d workers highlights \u2064the importance of the issue and the government&#8217;s\u2064 commitment \u200cto\u2064 creating a thriving electric vehicle industry in the United States. The successful resolution of the\u2064 contract negotiations and\u200d resumption of construction on the battery plant would send a positive signal\u2062 to investors and stakeholders\u2064 and reaffirm the country&#8217;s commitment to clean energy and sustainable \u2062transportation.<\/p>\n<p>As the industry continues to evolve and\u200c adapt to new challenges, it \u2062is crucial for \u2062all stakeholders to work together towards a common\u200c goal \u200d\u2013 a greener, more sustainable future powered \u200cby \u200celectric vehicles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ford Motor has halted construction on a $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Michigan, supported by a Chinese firm, due to concerns about competitive operation during ongoing contract negotiations. United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain criticized Ford for the decision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":2044937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2044936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044936","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2044936"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044936\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2044937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2044936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2044936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2044936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}