By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California-based battery manufacturer startup Sparkz Inc said Tuesday it had agreed to a partnership with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union as it finalizes plans to begin commercializing zero-cobalt, zero-nickel battery production.
The UAW has been working to organize new battery facilities as the auto industry shifts to electric vehicle production. Sparkz and the UAW said they had signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a national labor-management agreement and statement of neutrality.
"Sparkz is proud to partner with the United Auto Workers to secure the American worker's place in the new energy economy, while re-engineering the battery supply chain domestically," CEO Sanjiv Malhotra said in a statement.
White House climate adviser John Podesta praised the announcement.
"With this partnership, Sparkz and UAW are helping create good-paying, high-quality American jobs building batteries for our clean energy and transportation future," he said in a statement.
Sparkz is working to complete plans for its first GigaCampus location in California's Central Valley to produce its high energy-density battery and plans to initially employ 500 workers.
UAW President Shawn Fain said workers across the battery supply chain from electric vehicles to agricultural equipment should have the right to organize.
"We applaud Sparkz for doing the right thing in agreeing not to interfere with workers' right to join a union, and look forward to winning a strong contract that sets the standard for the battery industry," he said in a statement.
California will be the first location for the company union partnership. "We have to ensure the hardworking people who build our world-class economy are valued and prioritized," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
Sparkz announced plans in August 2022 to establish material processing and module and cell production in West Virginia. It said it will continue work with the United Mine Workers of America in West Virginia on that project aiming to help coal workers transition to new energy jobs.