UAW Workers at Ultium Cells Secure Wage Increase and Back Pay
LORDSTOWN, Oh. – In a major victory for workers, the UAW has announced that union workers at Ultium Cells, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, have reached a breakthrough agreement that will result in an immediate wage increase of $3 to $4 per hour. Additionally, hundreds of workers will receive thousands of dollars in back pay. The interim deal is up for ratification in the coming days after months of negotiations and a public UAW campaign advocating for justice for electric vehicle workers at Ultium and across the nation.
UAW President Shawn Fain expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “After months of public pressure and worker organizing, Ultium was forced to take a first step towards economic justice for the workers who are powering GM’s electric vehicle future. When we fight hard, we can win big, and we aren’t done fighting for standard-setting wages and benefits at Ultium and beyond.”
UAW Vice President Mike Booth, while acknowledging the achievement, believes that there is still work to be done. He stated, “This interim wage increase is a victory for the workers in Lordstown who have been organizing relentlessly to combat dangerous working conditions and appallingly low pay. But it is still far short of what these workers deserve for the level of skill their labor requires, the working conditions they must endure, and the incredible value they produce for this heavily taxpayer-subsidized employer. We have been clear with Ultium: this wage increase is just the start.”
UAW Region 2B Director David Green emphasized the importance of immediate relief for Ultium workers who have been earning poverty wages. He pledged the union’s continued support in fighting for fair wages and benefits, calling an end to the “race to the bottom.”
Ultium Cells, responsible for producing battery cells for GM’s expanding battery fleet, is expected to qualify for over $1 billion in federal tax credits annually when operating at full capacity. In December 2022, workers at Ultium Cells made history by successfully unionizing at a large battery cell production plant in a landslide vote of 710 to 16. The decision to unionize was prompted by concerns regarding health and safety, as well as poverty wages.
This breakthrough agreement serves as a positive step towards economic justice for electric vehicle workers, and the UAW is determined to continue its fight for fair compensation and benefits in the industry.