The United Auto Workers union says that 900 workers at a new Ohio electric vehicle battery cell plant have voted to join the union, Kallanish reports.

That would make the workers at the General Motors-LG Energy Solution joint venture plant near Warren, Ohio, the first US workers at an EV battery plant to unionize. The union vote was 710-16, according to the union and the Ultium Cells JV.

“We have received election results from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and respect the decision of our Ohio workforce supporting representation by the UAW. We look forward to a positive working relationship with the UAW,” Ultium says in a statement.

UAW president Ray Curry adds that “the vote shows that they want to be part of maintaining the high standards and wages that UAW members have built in the auto industry.”

Last October, the UAW had petitioned to represent the workers after a majority of workers had signed cards authorising the union to represent them. It sought NLRB involvement after the company did not recognise that effort.

The vote was being carefully watched because US automakers are all involved in joint EV battery ventures. Observers say the UAW may encounter less support at other plants in Southern states that are less unionised than Ohio.

The Ohio plant began production last August and is the first of at least four US battery plants planned by Ultium. Other plants are planned in Michigan and Tennessee. A fourth location, perhaps Indiana, is expected to be named soon. The US Department of Energy has offered $2.5 billion to the company.

The UAW has 372,000 members including 150,000 employed by the Big Three automakers: Ford, GM and Chrysler.

GM says it will only produce electric passenger vehicles after 2030.