Sign up to create alerts for Instruments,
Economic Events and content by followed authors
Free Sign Up Already have an account? Sign In
Quotes
All Instrument Types
- All Instrument Types
- Indices
- Equities
- ETFs
- Funds
- Commodities
- Currencies
- Crypto
- Bonds
- Certificates
Please try another search
Final hours: unlock premium data with Claim 60% OFF
UAW will seek faster recognition in GM's U.S. joint-venture battery plants
Published Sep 23, 2022 03:13PM ET
Updated Sep 23, 2022 05:01PM ET
© Reuters. A sign for the General Motors (GM) Powertrain Transmission plant is seen in front of the assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio, U.S. March 6, 2019. Picture taken March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook
By Joseph White and David Shepardson
TOLEDO, Ohio/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United Auto Workers will seek a speedier recognition from GM that does not require a vote to represent hourly workers in the automaker's growing stable of U.S. joint-venture battery plants, the union said on Friday.
UAW President Ray Curry, speaking at an event in Toledo, Ohio, where GM announced it will invest $760 million, said the union will seek "card check" authorization that bypasses a secret ballot vote.
Under that process, a majority of plant hourly workers could simply sign cards supporting the union, and once certified an election would not be necessary.
Last month, the first General Motors (NYSE:GM) and LG Energy Solution joint venture Ultium battery plant began production in Lordstown, Ohio.
Curry said 90% of workers at the plant have signed cards supporting the union. "Ultium has not agreed" to recognize the UAW without a vote, Curry said.
Ultium on Friday did not endorse the UAW proposal, but said it "respects workers’ right to unionize and the efforts of the UAW or any other union to organize battery-cell manufacturing workers at our manufacturing sites."
The joint venture said it would comply with a federal labor law that "protects our employees’ right to decide the issue of union representation through a voluntary democratic election."
The 2.8 million square foot Ultium Cells LLC plant in Lordstown is the first of at least four U.S. plants planned to supply GM electric vehicles. The plant has more than 800 employees and is preparing to ramp up production.
GM previously expressed support for efforts by the UAW to organize Ultium's battery plants, but did not endorse "card check.
In May, President Joe Biden, in a trip to South Korea, expressed support for workers seeking to unionize joint venture battery plants. Detroit's Big Three automakers all have battery plants in the works with Korean partners.
"For every joint venture that manufactures electric vehicle batteries would be made stronger by collective bargaining relationships with America unions," Biden said.
Last month, GM and LG Energy said they were considering a site in New Carlisle, Indiana, for a fourth U.S. battery plant.
They are already building a $2.6 billion battery cell plant in Lansing, Michigan, set to open in late 2024, and a $2.3 billion Tennessee plant to be completed in 2023.
Related Articles
Add Chart to Comment
Confirm Block
Are you sure you want to block %USER_NAME%?
By doing so, you and %USER_NAME% will not be able to see any of each other's Investing.com's posts.
%USER_NAME% was successfully added to your Block List
Since you’ve just unblocked this person, you must wait 48 hours before renewing the block.
Report this comment
I feel that this comment is:
Comment flagged
Thank You!
Your report has been sent to our moderators for review
Add a Comment
We encourage you to use comments to engage with other users, share your perspective and ask questions of authors and each other. However, in order to maintain the high level of discourse we’ve all come to value and expect, please keep the following criteria in mind:
Enrich the conversation, don’t trash it.
Stay focused and on track. Only post material that’s relevant to the topic being discussed.
Be respectful. Even negative opinions can be framed positively and diplomatically. Avoid profanity, slander or personal attacks directed at an author or another user. Racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination will not be tolerated.
Perpetrators of spam or abuse will be deleted from the site and prohibited from future registration at Investing.com’s discretion.