UAW President Says Battery-Worker Pay Must Match Assembly Wages

The head of the union representing about 150,000 employees of General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis NV in the US says workers making battery components must be on the same pay scale as those assembling cars or making gasoline or diesel-powered engine and transmission parts.

“We believe our members should be compensated at the appropriate level for the manufacturing” of battery packs, United Auto Workers President Ray Curry said in a phone interview Friday. “It’s important to be able to maintain that in the industry.”

Ray Curry

Photographer: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

That position could be a major source of friction when the ...