With under one month to go on the United Auto Workers contract with the Big Three automakers - the General Motors/LG Chem dual township facility Ultium Cells is still negotiating for its contract with the battery maker or is still attempting to work out a contract after more than eight months after workers approved to unionize the plant.

While the 146,000 members of the UAW union will vote next week on whether to authorize a strike vote against the automakers, it now appears that earlier discussion for Ultium workers to join the master agreement may no longer be on the table.

According to a Bloomberg interview with UAW International president Shawn Fain Friday, the union leader said that the UAW "...wants guarantees that it will represent workers at 10 U.S. electric vehicle battery plants proposed by the companies. Most are joint ventures with Korean battery companies."

21 News reached out to UAW spokesperson Jim McNeill who said that next week's strike vote authorization is only for workers who are covered by the National Master Agreement at Ford, GM, and Stellantis and that Ultium workers are bargaining a separate contract.

McNeill stated, "Though we certainly hope that the contract our UAW members at Ultium do win will include the same strong pay and safety standards that Big Three workers are fighting to strengthen."

In the Bloomberg article, Fain said he understood the need to form joint ventures the LG and other companies to develop the technology to build the electric vehicle batteries, but also discussed solutions for the Ultium workers.

Fain told Bloomberg he wants the carmakers to hire the battery plant employees at better pay, according to the article, "hire at auto-worker pay rates, then lease these staff to the battery ventures."

21 News reached out to Ultium Cells UAW Committee Chairman Josh Ayers who said while Ultium Cells contract negotiations are progressing, but that "building a contract from the ground up does take a considerable amount of time, especially when dealing with a joint venture."

The union's contract with GM, Ford, and Stellantis will expire at 11:59 pm on September 14.

21 News has reached out to the UAW spokesperson to confirm whether or not Ultium joining the Master Agreement is still part of the negotiations, even though they will not be part of the strike vote, but has not heard back as of the publishing of this story.