09:01 AM EDT, 08/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with company's response in third, fourth and fifth paragraph)

The United Auto Workers union said Wednesday it won a majority of votes at a Ford Motor ( F ) joint-venture battery plant in Kentucky to unionize, though 41 challenge ballots were still pending.

The union urged the automaker to "acknowledge the democratic decision of its workforce," according to a statement.

"They should immediately drop their anti-democratic effort to undermine the outcome of the election and recognize a majority of BlueOval SK's production and maintenance employees have chosen to join the UAW and ensure battery jobs in Kentucky are good, safe, union jobs," the union said

A BlueOval SK spokesperson said the election outcome depends on the 41 challenge ballots.

"The outcome of the election depends on the NLRB's determination of whether these 41 challenged ballots will be counted. BlueOval SK will urge the Board to count each eligible vote because every voice matters," a BlueOval SK spokesperson said in a statement e-mailed to MT Newswires.

BlueOval SK said 526 workers voted 'yes', 515 voted 'no', and 41 challenge ballots remain pending.