Ford CEO Jim Farley has accused the United Auto Workers (UAW) of holding a labor deal “hostage” over the fate of two battery plants the company plans to build in the United States.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Farley said that the UAW is demanding concessions from Ford on wages and benefits in exchange for agreeing to a labor deal for the new battery plants. Farley said that the UAW’s demands were unreasonable and would make it impossible for Ford to build the new plants.

“The UAW is holding our investment hostage,” Farley said. “They’re saying, ‘If you don’t give us these concessions, we’re not going to let you build these plants.'”

Farley said Ford is committed to building the new battery plants but cannot do so if the UAW continues to demand unreasonable concessions. He said that Ford is willing to negotiate with the UAW but that the UAW needs to be ready to compromise.

“We’re not going to be bullied into making concessions that we cannot afford,” Farley said. “We’re going to build these plants, but we need to do it in a way that is fair to our employees and shareholders.”

The UAW has denied Farley’s accusations. The UAW has said it is simply trying to negotiate a fair labor deal for its members. The UAW has also said it is committed to working with Ford to build the new battery plants.

The dispute between Ford and the UAW is a major setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to boost electric vehicle manufacturing in the United States. The Biden administration has said that it wants to build a nationwide network of battery plants to support the production of electric vehicles. However, the dispute between Ford and the UAW could make it difficult for the Biden administration to achieve its goal.

It remains to be seen whether Ford and the UAW can resolve this. However, the dispute is a reminder of the challenges that the Biden administration faces in its efforts to transition to electric vehicles.

Ford CEO Jim Farley has accused the UAW of holding a labor deal “hostage” over the fate of two battery plants the company plans to build in the United States. The UAW has denied Farley’s accusations, but the dispute is a major setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to boost electric vehicle manufacturing in the United States. It remains to be seen whether Ford and the UAW can resolve this.