The United Auto Workers (UAW) union has just won an election at the GM Ultium Cells battery plant in Ohio, indicating that a majority of workers at the plant are in favor of unionizing.
This is big news for the UAW, as the union now has a foothold into the electric car business. According to a report by Bloomberg, the union will now set its sight on plans to organize workers in future manufacturing plants that are being planned or built across the US. This rise in EV-focused plants come as automakers race to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles.
“Our entire union welcomes our latest members from Ultium,” said UAW President Ray Curry. “As the auto industry transitions to electric vehicles, new workers entering the auto sector at plants like Ultium are thinking about their value and worth. This vote shows that they want to be a part of maintaining the high standards and wages that UAW members have built in the auto industry.”
Currently, the Ultium Cells battery plant manufactures batteries for vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and Cadillac Lyriq.
In regards to UAW’s expansion to more EV-related plants, the Ultium Cells battery manufacturing facility is just the first of four new battery cell facilities planned for the U.S. under Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between GM and South Korean technology company LG Energy Solution. Two additional Ultium Cells plants are under construction in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and Delta Township, Michigan, with a fourth planned for construction in New Carlisle, Indiana.
As a reminder, the UAW filed to unionize workers at the newly opened Ultium Cells facility back in October 2022. At the time, Curry stated that Ultium Cells LLC had failed to recognize the UAW after a majority of workers at the facility signed cards authorizing the union to represent them. The Ultium Cells plant in Ohio employs roughly 900 workers.
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Comments
Great as if EVs were not already expensive enough… Higher cost for lower quality work incoming.
Well they need to remain competitive and if not they will shut the door on them.
There will be plenty of production in the future and contracts will need to be bid on. If they are not realistic they will not get the work.
CR.8, I value your opinion 99% of the time, but as a retired United Auto Workers it’s not that easy to shut the door. There are international contract that last 4 years, but there’s also the local contract too. If you ever saw my comments in the past about the UAW, you would know I’m not a fan. If GM is not making money, they have to weigh the lesser of two evils. And it’s a little more than just shutting he doors.
It is not as easy but it is much easier than in the past.
GM is not the same company that will sign the bad deals that help bring in the bankruptcy.
I agree they would not close over night but if needed they will put plans in motion to move production.
That building can easily be gutted and filled by Amazon or some other company fast. But then again few like moving to this area due to the l history of labor issues.
Scott, you’re spot on with all your comments here(above). Thank you.
Ouch! This could eat into Marys’ $29 million 2021 salary.
LG is footing more of the bill not GM.
CR8 u must be one miserable person. Let ppl thrive for once. Northeast ohio is depressing enough.
Sorry for speaking the truth.
I lost one job to a union and nearly lost a second till they were voted out.
My grand father lost a job to a union that he thought supported him and found they took the money and ran.
Unions decades ago did a lot of good. But when they ran out of things it all became money and in our system today you need to be competitive globally.
I Agee there may be some good locals but over all most over step and often defend workers that should be shown the door.
Also how many UAW workers need to be arrested before they learn.
My Uncle today has bullet holes in his house from the Teamsters he belonged to.
Not miserable at all because I no longer work in a union.
I can actually thank the last union for getting the plant closed as I have enjoyed 30 years union free with better way and benefits.
I’m not sorry to want my area to grow like Marysville vs decline like Youngstown.
2019 a whole lot of good GM salaried people were kicked to the street just so GM could try to get their stock price up. Unions and corporations have one interest and it ain’t you.
If they are not making money no one wins.
If you don’t want to work in a for profit company get a government job.
Absolutely, business exists to make profit. When they don’t it is almost always a management problem. Using unions as the scapegoat for bad (or greedy) management is an old game.
It amazes me that workers continue to vote for UAW representation despite union officials being jailed for fraud, the loss of jobs at UAW represented plants through outsourcing, etc.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, pension plans just had to be bailed out at the tune of 36 Billion dollars. I wonder how that mismanagement happened ? Maybe political donations.
This is one of the few times I agree with CR.8. Ok there will be four plants built in the USA. Right now because of the cost vs sale dollars there is a profit. Also Covid-19 constraints and supply issues may have forced the issue to build here. It’s been done thousands of times before, as material costs drop and supply is up, profits will drop and labor cost gets too high, the next thing production will move to Mexico, China(?), Brazil or even India. It may take a decade or two but the l next generation of executives will face the same problems of the past.
My first few jobs I was a CWA member and in Chicago IBEW member. In 1984 I changed jobs and worked for Siemens Communications for 25 years, no union. Had far better benefits, pay raises mostly determined by work performance and any education improvements, not by contract. It also was one of the last few companies that had a pension and a 401k. Most have to realize that a pay raise is not guaranteed each year. I work several years without a pay raise but when raises started again, mine jumped over $12k. Always had good medical coverage but at 59 years old I was laid off since the work went to Greece, Hungry and China. It all worked out with savings and a pension I’m doing very good in retirement.
Just found this article. Bellevue, Illinois plant shutting down. Probably one of the oldest US plants from the Chrysler days. Money is needed for EV development else where, Mexico!
At the URL enter a dot for the link. This forum blocks reference to other urls.
reuters (dot) com/business/autos-transportation/stellantis-indefinitely-idle-illinois-assembly-plant-2022-12-09/
Higher cost of production.
Strange how all the foreign manufacturers of vehicles produced in the US have non-union facilities and motivated employees. Cost is going to be a big factor in the EV battle for sales.
New non union plants will hold a major advantage.
Makes gm less competitive. Good luck in the EV wars.