By Michael Elkins
The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced Monday that they have filed a petition with the Cleveland office of the National Labor Relations Board to gain union membership for the 900 workers at the Ultium Cells LLC battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio. The plant is jointly owned by General Motors (NYSE:GM) and LG Energy Solutions (KS:373220). The petition is one of the first steps in the process after previous efforts between the company and the union were stalled.
UAW President Ray Curry said Ultium refused to recognize the union after a majority of the workers signed cards indicating a desire to join. By not accepting the card check, Ultium “has decided to ignore democracy and delay the recognition process,” Curry said in a prepared statement Monday. “Make no mistake: whether it is by card check or union election, these workers will be members of the UAW.”
Ultium said it respects workers’ right to choose union representation and will comply with the National Labor Relations Act.
“Ultium Cells believes the right to a personal and private vote is important,” the company said.
GM has talked about recognizing the union at its battery plants since offering the Ohio facility as part of an unsuccessful bid to avoid a strike in 2019. The union claims that those talks were just a delay tactic. Lordstown has been a difficult issue for the UAW ever since GM sold its assembly plant to electric vehicle maker, Lordstown Motors Corp (NASDAQ:RIDE). Ultium built its battery plant on a site right next to the assembly facility.
The petition to NLRB must show that at least 30% of employees support a union. The NLRB agents will then investigate to make sure they have jurisdiction, the union is qualified, and there are no existing labor contracts or recent elections that would bar an election.
Shares of GM are up 1.26% in mid-day trading on Monday.