About 1,000 workers at a General Motors joint venture electric vehicle battery plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, will get big pay raises now that they have joined the United Auto Workers union
DETROIT — About 1,000 workers at a General Motors joint venture electric vehicle battery plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, will get big pay raises now that they have joined the United Auto Workers union.
GM and LG Energy Solution of Korea, which jointly run the plant, agreed to recognize the union after a majority of workers signed cards saying they wanted to join, the UAW said Wednesday.
Both sides will bargain over local contract provisions, but worker pay and other details will fall under the UAW national contract negotiated last fall, the union said in a prepared statement. Starting pay which was $20 per hour will rise to a minimum of $27.72. Over three years, minimum production worker pay will rise to $30.88, the contract says.
The joint venture, Ultium Cells LLC, said in a release that the union recognition came after an independently certified process that ended Tuesday. “We believe this will support the continuity of operations, drive innovation, and enhance world-class manufacturing,” the release said.
Representation of the battery plant gives the UAW another foothold in U.S. southern states as it tries to organize nonunion auto plants. Workers at a 4,300-employee Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted in April to join the union, and contract bargaining is expected to begin this month.
But the union lost its first organizing vote in May at a Mercedes assembly plant and other facilities near Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Spring Hill is the second GM joint venture battery plant to join the union and fall under the national contract. Workers at a plant near Warren, Ohio, voted to join the union in 2022.
Battery cell production began in Spring Hill earlier this year.
In a groundbreaking development for labor rights in the automotive industry, workers at General Motors’ battery plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee have successfully unionized and secured a pay raise. The workers, who are employed at the plant that produces batteries for electric vehicles, voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, marking a significant victory for labor organizers and workers alike.
The decision to unionize comes after months of organizing efforts by the workers, who were seeking better working conditions and fair wages. The workers at the Spring Hill plant were inspired by the successful unionization efforts at other General Motors facilities, including the recent strike at the company’s assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio.
The unionization of the Spring Hill plant is a major milestone for the UAW, which has been working to expand its presence in the growing electric vehicle sector. The union has been advocating for better wages and benefits for workers in the industry, as well as greater job security in the face of technological advancements and automation.
In addition to securing union representation, the workers at the Spring Hill plant have also negotiated a pay raise as part of their new contract. The pay raise will provide them with a significant increase in their wages, helping to improve their standard of living and provide them with greater financial stability.
The successful unionization and pay raise at the General Motors battery plant in Tennessee are a testament to the power of collective bargaining and the importance of workers standing together to demand fair treatment and better working conditions. The workers at the Spring Hill plant have shown that when they come together and organize, they can achieve meaningful change and secure a better future for themselves and their families.
As the electric vehicle industry continues to grow and evolve, it is essential that workers are able to advocate for their rights and ensure that they are fairly compensated for their labor. The unionization of the General Motors battery plant in Tennessee is a step in the right direction towards creating a more equitable and just workplace for all workers in the industry.
