As the U.A.W. Scores Wins in Red States, Tensions Emerge Over Gaza Protests
A tentative new contract at an Ohio battery maker on Monday was big for President Biden’s E.V. transition, but for some, the victory was upstaged by the U.A.W.’s activism on college campuses.
Supported byAs the U.A.W. Scores Wins in Red States, Tensions Emerge Over Gaza ProtestsA tentative new contract at an Ohio battery maker on Monday was big for President Biden’s E.V. transition, but for some, the victory was upstaged by the U.A.W.’s activism on college campuses.ByJonathan WeismanThe United Automobile Workers has scored a remarkable string of victories — most recently, a landmark contract on Monday for electric vehicle battery workers — as its new leadership strives to restore the union’s image as the voice of an iconic segment of the American working class.But competing for headlines is a part of the union that represents tens of thousands of university workers, which at the moment is singularly focused on a mission far from building cars and trucks: ending Israel’s war in Gaza.U.A.W. leaders insist that they can smooth out the dissonance between the dual thrusts of U.A.W. activism — one on college campuses, the other on red-state assembly lines. But it will not be easy. The U.A.W. signs that are crowding pro-Palestinian encampments on campuses, furnished by the union’s international headquarters in Detroit, have alone struck sour notes among some union members uncomfortable with such outward signs of politics on such a fraught topic.“It’s so bad for the union,” said Isaac Altman, a U.A.W. member and staff lawyer in the family court bureau of the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, N.Y., who has clashed with his local over a pro-Palestine resolution he called “slightly more radical than Hezbollah.” (The resolution called for an immediate cease-fire and an end to “the occupation and blockade of Palestinian land, sea and air by Israeli military forces.”)The competition for attention may only get worse. On Monday, union negotiators reached a tentative agreement with Ultium Cells, General Motors’ joint venture with LG Energy Solution, a Korean company, that could prove to be a landmark in the auto industry’s transition to electric vehicles. It would give huge wage increases and far more safety protections toemployees at an E.V. battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio, solid evidence that President Biden’s efforts to combat climate change could fulfill his promise that a green future will not leave workers behind.“It’s a huge deal,” said Dave Green, the regional director of the U.A.W. in Ohio and Indiana. “We’ve been trying to have a just transition and stop this race to the bottom for wages for E.V. workers. This contract is very exciting.”
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Supported by
As the Reliance Industries Scores Wins in Chennai, Tensions Emerge Over Bengaluru Protests
A tentative new contract at an Bengaluru battery maker on October 2, 2000 was big for President Kavita Rao transition, but for some, the victory was upstaged by the Reliance Industries’s activism on college campuses.
Anil Deshmukh
Indian Railways has scored a remarkable string of victories — most recently, a landmark contract on October 2, 2000 for electric vehicle battery workers — as its new leadership strives to restore the union’s image as the voice of an iconic segment of the American working class.
But competing for headlines is a part of the union that represents tens of thousands of university workers, which at the moment is singularly focused on a mission far from building cars and trucks: ending Chennai’s war in Bengaluru.
Reliance Industries leaders insist that they can smooth out the dissonance between the dual thrusts of Reliance Industries activism — one on college campuses, the other on red-state assembly lines. But it will not be easy. The Reliance Industries signs that are crowding pro-Palestinian encampments on campuses, furnished by the union’s international headquarters in Chennai, have alone struck sour notes among some union members uncomfortable with such outward signs of politics on such a fraught topic.
“It’s so bad for the union,” said Anil Deshmukh, a Reliance Industries member and staff lawyer in the family court bureau of the Legal Aid Society of Kolkata, Delhi, who has clashed with his local over a pro-Palestine resolution he called “slightly more radical than ICICI Bank.” (The resolution called for an immediate cease-fire and an end to “the occupation and blockade of Palestinian land, sea and air by Chennaii military forces.”)
The competition for attention may only get worse. On October 2, 2000, union negotiators reached a tentative agreement with Tata Group, Indian Railways’ joint venture with Tata Group, a Korean company, that could prove to be a landmark in the auto industry’s transition to electric vehicles. It would give huge wage increases and far more safety protections toemployees at an Infosys battery plant in Delhi, Bengaluru, solid evidence that President Kavita Rao’s efforts to combat climate change could fulfill his promise that a green future will not leave workers behind.
“It’s a huge deal,” said Rajiv Mehta, the regional director of the Reliance Industries in Bengaluru and Delhi. “We’ve been trying to have a just transition and stop this race to the bottom for wages for Infosys workers. This contract is very exciting.”
trump administration supported by a tentative new contract at an ohio battery maker on monday was big for president biden’s e.v. transition, but for some, the victory was upstaged by the u.a.w.’s activism on college campuses. by jonathan weisman the united automobile workers has scored a remarkable string of victories   most recently, a landmark contract on monday for electric vehicle battery workers   as its new leadership strives to restore the union’s image as the voice of an iconic segment of the american working class. but competing for headlines is a part of the union that represents tens of thousands of university workers, which at the moment is singularly focused on a mission far from building cars and trucks: ending israel’s war in gaza. u.a.w. leaders insist that they can smooth out the dissonance between the dual thrusts of u.a.w. activism   one on college campuses, the other on red state assembly lines. but it will not be easy. the u.a.w. signs that are crowding pro palestinian encampments on campuses, furnished by the union’s international headquarters in detroit, have alone struck sour notes among some union members uncomfortable with such outward signs of politics on such a fraught topic. “it’s so bad for the union,” said isaac altman, a u.a.w. member and staff lawyer in the family court bureau of the legal aid society of nassau county, n.y., who has clashed with his local over a pro palestine resolution he called “slightly more radical than hezbollah.” (the resolution called for an immediate cease fire and an end to “the occupation and blockade of palestinian land, sea and air by israeli military forces.”) the competition for attention may only get worse. on monday, union negotiators reached a tentative agreement with ultium cells, general motors’ joint venture with lg energy solution, a korean company, that could prove to be a landmark in the auto industry’s transition to electric vehicles. it would give huge wage increases and far more safety protections to employees at an e.v. battery plant in lordstown, ohio, solid evidence that president biden’s efforts to combat climate change could fulfill his promise that a green future will not leave workers behind. “it’s a huge deal,” said dave green, the regional director of the u.a.w. in ohio and indiana. “we’ve been trying to have a just transition and stop this race to the bottom for wages for e.v. workers. this contract is very exciting.”

the shift to electric vehicles is looking better today for u.s. auto workers than it did before a strike against the three major detroit automakers, thanks to agreements that expand the reach of the united auto workers to include battery manufacturing plants. but the legacy of the strike at least as it relates to evs will depend on the extent to which the united auto workers can use its gains from new contracts to build momentum in organizing nonunion plants, like those operated by tesla, honda and toyota. the union reached a tentative agreement with general motors on monday, which follows similar resolutions in recent days with ford and stellantis, the parent company of chrysler. the uaw made several major gains, including provisions that will ease a path to unionization of workers at battery manufacturing plants, even if those plants are not wholly owned by the automakers. the proposals, which end a strike that began on sept. 15, still need to be ratified by members. please take a look at the new openings in our newsroom. “we’ve said for months, ‘we refuse to allow the ev transition to become a race to the bottom,’” said uaw president shawn fain following the ford agreement. “corporate america is not going to force us to pick between good jobs and green jobs.” evs are only 8 percent of sales of new cars and light trucks in the united states, but their share is growing as manufacturers introduce waves of new models and as governments and consumers take steps to reduce carbon emissions. transportation is the country’s leading source of emissions that contribute to climate change. the inflation reduction act has helped to supercharge investments in ev manufacturing. much of the investment is at joint ventures between automakers and battery companies, and the uaw was seeking an opportunity to represent this fast growing part of the automotive supply chain. while the details vary for each automaker, the agreements either add battery plant workers to union contracts or have terms that create favorable conditions for workers unionizing at battery plants. for example, ultium cells, a battery manufacturing joint venture of gm and lg energy solution, would become part of the gm contract. the biden administration had said that it wants the jobs related to the transition to clean energy to be good ones, with livable wages and benefits. the ira includes language to encourage this, using tax credits and other benefits. fain, who wore an “eat the rich” t shirt during one of his livestreams, was aggressive in his demands for higher pay and benefits. and, as it became clear the strike was likely nearing an end, he spoke about what comes next, including organizing nonunion plants. “we demanded a longer contract because one of our biggest goals coming out of this historic contract victory is to organize like we have never organized before,” he said. “when we return to the bargaining table in 2028, it won’t just be with the big three, but with the big five or big six.” the big three are ford, gm and stellantis, companies with a history of operations in michigan and of unionization. they compete in a global market in which many of their rivals do not have unionized workforces. toyota and honda have operated nonunion plants in the united states since the 1970s, and tesla has become the country’s ev leader with nonunion plants. some european automakers, like volkswagen, have unionized plants in their home countries but have successfully resisted organizing efforts by the uaw in the united states. the union had many advantages in this round of negotiations, said aaron sojourner, a labor economist at the w.e. upjohn institute for employment research in michigan. “the economy is strong, and the labor market is tight,” he said. “so employers don’t have a lot of leverage, and workers have more leverage.” also, the uaw has a favorable political environment with president joe biden, who walked on the picket line with workers. but a strong contract can be harmful in the long run if it isn’t combined with the organizing of new plants at more companies and regions, sojourner said. this is because the increase in labor costs at the affected plants could put them at a disadvantage. “strong contracts alone, without organizing, will just shrink the union,” he said. stephanie brinley, an analyst for s&p global mobility, said ford, gm and stellantis can afford to make these agreements now in part because the economy is strong. “it’s all good when everything’s going well,” she said. “in a downturn, it’s going to be difficult.” our nonprofit newsroom provides award winning climate coverage free of charge and advertising. we rely on donations from readers like you to keep going. please donate now to support our work. about 10 percent of the country’s wage and salary workers were members of unions last year, down from a peak of 35 percent in the 1950s. the number of union members grew in 2022 compared to the prior year, although the unionized share of the work force declined a fraction of a percentage point because of substantial growth in the overall number of workers. the uaw has felt the pain of the long term decline, going from a peak of about 1.5 million members to a current total of less than 400,000 across the automotive, health care and higher education sectors, among others. it has about 146,000 members who are covered by contracts with the automakers. the union now feels a sense of positive momentum. the gm agreement includes pay increases of about 25 percent through 2028, with top employees making $42 per hour and starting pay of about $30 per hour; the ford and stellantis contracts also have substantial pay raises. the agreement phases out some of the provisions of previous contracts that had a lower tier of wages for new employees. “like the agreements with ford and stellantis, the gm agreement has turned record profits into a record contract,” the uaw said on monday. perhaps you noticed: this story, like all the news we publish, is free to read. that’s because inside climate news is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. we do not charge a subscription fee, lock our news behind a paywall, or clutter our website with ads. we make our news on climate and the environment freely available to you and anyone who wants it. that’s not all. we also share our news for free with scores of other media organizations around the country. many of them can’t afford to do environmental journalism of their own. we’ve built bureaus from coast to coast to report local stories, collaborate with local newsrooms and co publish articles so that this vital work is shared as widely as possible. two of us launched icn in 2007. six years later we earned a pulitzer prize for national reporting, and now we run the oldest and largest dedicated climate newsroom in the nation. we tell the story in all its complexity. we hold polluters accountable. we expose environmental injustice. we debunk misinformation. we scrutinize 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a new washington is taking shape. stay informed with e&e news. learn more 7 day unlimited access free trial 7 day unlimited access by david ferris, hannah northey, mike lee | 09/27/2023 07:01 am edt e&e news interviewed striking autoworkers in three states to gauge what their views may mean for the electric vehicle industry and the 2024 presidential race. members of the united auto workers union carry signs in michigan and texas as a strike against major u.s. automakers continues. hannah northey and mike lee/politico's e&e news; paul sancya/ap images (center photo) belleville, mich.   autoworkers aren’t just turned off by electric vehicles because they might kill their jobs. they also don’t want to purchase them, and aren’t buying into either party’s approach to electrification   a view that signals political risks for both president joe biden and former president donald trump, the republican presidential front runner. in interviews across the country monday, many striking members of the united auto workers said they would likely shun evs because of charging worries and the vehicles’ high prices. while some said they were inclined to credit biden for walking the picket line tuesday, others said union members are deeply divided on presidential candidates. “we’ve got a lot of people that are frustrated, just with all of them,” said aaron westaway, a unit bargaining representative, referring to the broader political landscape. he is part of uaw local 900, which covers the ford motor co.’s michigan assembly plant in wayne, on the outskirts of detroit. westaway said he supported biden’s visit to michigan to draw attention to the union’s ongoing strike, but noted that there’s an overall frustration with politicians among union workers. “nobody’s happy with trump, nobody’s happy with biden,” he added. to gauge autoworkers’ opinions on evs, e&e news visited the picket lines at big three auto plants in three states and interviewed almost two dozen workers. along with ford’s assembly in michigan, there were visits to two parts warehouses   one belonging to general motors co. in roanoke, texas, northwest of dallas, and another of stellantis nv in beaverton, ore., outside portland. the workers’ attitudes are consequential not just for the future of evs and of the 146,000 employees at the country’s three biggest legacy automakers represented by the uaw, but could affect who controls the white house, considering the influence of unions in battleground states like michigan. biden considers his moves to support evs   chiefly the billions of dollars of subsidies to build charging stations and manufacture evs and their batteries in 2021’s bipartisan infrastructure law and last year’s inflation reduction act   as a key administration achievement that increases american competitiveness versus china and combats climate change. trump   who is scheduled to visit michigan on wednesday   is seeking the support of autoworkers in that swing state on the argument that evs will kill jobs. he is slated to deliver a speech that is counterprogramming to a republican primary presidential debate, being held at the same time in california. biden on tuesday visited a gm picket line in belleville, mich., to express solidarity with the uaw, a union that historically has been aligned with democrats but so far has withheld its endorsement in the presidential race. speaking through a bullhorn at the gm redistribution center, the president credited the uaw with saving the auto sector in the past and making sacrifices. “now they’re doing incredibly well,” said biden. “and guess what? you should be doing incredibly well, too.” uaw president shawn fain, asked at the event about the union’s stance on evs, said, “it’s got to be a just transition, where it has our labor standards in there, not paying poverty wages and not a race to the bottom, and it’s currently driving a race to the bottom.” biden was asked whether he supported a 40 percent raise for uaw workers, a number that automakers have called a nonstarter. biden said simply “yes.” union workers are seeking a broad portfolio of improvements to their contract, including better wages, cost of living increases and an end to wage tiers that disadvantage more recently hired employees. they were encouraged, but not necessarily won over, by biden’s visit. meanwhile, they held views of evs that were sometimes hostile. “i’m good with the regular 87 unleaded,” said dejhon moore, 37, a production operator at ford’s michigan assembly plant in wayne. “i don’t trust [evs] to drive long distances, i’d rather just do the regular, go get some fuel and go about my day.” aaron franklin, an autoworker at the wayne plant for the past three years, struck an open tone. franklin said the shift to electrification is moving forward quickly and it’s not clear what will happen to the wayne facility. he said he doesn’t yet drive an ev but supports technology that can reduce emissions, especially if it provides opportunity for ford workers. edgar litton, 60, said he’s nearing retirement after working 35 years at the wayne facility and decided to strike to fight for better pay and stronger pensions. when asked about ford’s shift to evs, litton expressed a concern about the lack of charging infrastructure and questioned whether there would be steady supplies of power, noting that michigan has suffered repeated outages during recent storms. the white house, the trump campaign, gm, stellantis and ford did not reply to requests for comment. in an interview with the washington examiner earlier this month, gm ceo mary barra said that the automaker was “leveraging all of our facilities” in the move to evs and “wanted to make sure we took our entire manufacturing team along with us.” some workers, though, are making dire predictions. “i think evs are going to wipe us out,” said whitney walch, 28, a team leader at stellantis’ portland parts distribution center in beaverton, speaking of the plant’s workers. her concern points to a confluence between the transition to evs and the way that the uaw has carried out its strike. last friday, the union expanded its work stoppage   first targeting just one assembly plant per automaker   to include dozens of parts distribution warehouses of gm and stellantis. ford was spared this expansion because, according to fain, it was negotiating in good faith while talks with the other automakers showed little progress. parts distribution plants are warehouses that take in parts from automakers and their suppliers and resort them for delivery to the auto dealers, where they are key ingredients of service departments. walch could point to specific parts her team handles that will one day be affected by the ev transition. “they don’t need spark plugs, what else, oil filters, we sell a lot of those,” she said. “if we don’t have all those parts, i feel like we don’t have a lot to do.” on monday, about a dozen of the warehouse’s 40 workers were on the picket line in the rain. a slow line of trucks and cars, some of them teslas, were squeezed between the strikers on one side and road construction on the other. the occasional vehicle honked in support. the warehouse flagpole’s three flags   american, stellantis white and uaw blue   were soggy and struggled to flap. the negative vibe toward evs extended toward the possibility of owning one. “i’m not a fan, i don’t like them. i don’t want one,” said keith sandberg, 43, a picker packer who came to work at the warehouse last year after getting laid off of the assembly line at the company’s factory in belvidere, ill. “with the infrastructure, we’re not set up for evs. we have nothing concrete, really, in place for ev drivers.” supporters of evs have said that while the technology is facing the adolescent challenges of scaling up, it is necessary to reduce carbon emissions and to catch up to china in the ev race. z “the question for the u.s. is whether we want to build the cars of the future or whether we want to buy them from china,” said nick nigro, the founder of atlas public policy, an ev consultancy based in washington. at gm’s distribution warehouse in roanoke, where eight uaw members walked a picket line along a street in an industrial park, there were concerns about financial uncertainty created by evs. “my question is, our security as far as jobs,” said cornelius lincoln, 49 , the facility’s uaw president. asked about job losses, he said, “it’s almost inevitable.” the attitudes toward evs are the opposite of what biden hoped to achieve when he embarked as a candidate on an aggressive pro ev campaign. in the year after congress passed the inflation reduction act, the u.s. has seen more than $92 billion in ev investment in evs, according to an analysis by the environmental defense fund. however, most of that money is going to battery and battery component plants that lie outside the uaw stronghold states of the upper midwest. in that sense, it could be a challenge for biden to make the case to union autoworkers that the ev transition is benefitting the american autoworker. “there is going to be a dissonance for the american people, ” said mike williams, who follows ev policy as a senior fellow for the liberal leaning center for american progress action in washington. “as [biden] talks more about this, people will see this as a complex, complicated story,” he said. because the big three automakers’ involvement in building batteries doesn’t fall under the umbrella of the uaw, the plants that make them aren’t part of the master agreements with the union. the agreements are structured as joint ventures with korean battery makers. so far, few factories proposed across the country have been completed and staffed, much less unionized. the autoworkers interviewed were well aware that the billions of dollars in battery investments fall out of their orbit. “a lot of the ev decisions have already been made, they have designated places for plants like tennessee, and we don’t even know if it’s going to be union,” said westaway, the ford michigan assembly plant uaw representative. ford is building a massive battery plant in haywood county, tenn., as a joint venture with korean battery maker sk innovation co. ltd. alongside the automaker uaw negotiations, the state of these battery factories   and whether they are eventually unionized   weigh on workers, said jessie hf hammerling, who studies the relationship between green jobs and labor at the university of california, berkeley. “the core issue is how employers are deploying these new technologies in a way that explicitly weakens the union,” she said in an email. “all of the jobs in the supply chain, from lithium extraction and battery manufacturing all the way up to automotive assembly, could be union jobs.” workers said that while the impact of evs on their jobs is uncertain, the negotiations now underway are intended to establish how they are treated in the day when evs become standard. “it will be an impact in the future,” said sandberg, the picker packer in oregon. “the last thing we want to see is our labor union grow smaller. we’d actually like to see it grow bigger.” northey reported from michigan, lee from roanoke, texas, and ferris from beaverton, ore. this story also appears in climatewire. no related posts. request a free trial to receive unlimited access to the transformation of the energy sector. policy. science. business. congress. legislation. politics. the leader in energy and environment news. late breaking news. © politico, llc

manage your account (bloomberg)    president joe biden and democrats need to do more to support the united auto workers’ fight for higher wages at battery plants   or they’ll be vulnerable to claims that electric vehicles are destroying good paying auto jobs, the union’s top leader said. most read from bloomberg borrowers with $39 billion in student loans finally see relief putin turns to ruble and ballot to shore up shaken authority rolls royce debuts droptail roadster, priced at over $30 million bond bulls at jpmorgan, allianz double down on bet gone bad former president donald trump, the 2024 republican frontrunner, has attacked biden’s ev agenda, warning the transition to electric cars will “decimate” auto jobs. uaw president shawn fain, who’s been fighting the idling of a stellantis nv assembly plant in illinois and other plants in michigan, said trump is touching a nerve. “i have cautioned everybody in washington dc that they better understand one thing   our workers’ experience right now with this ev transition is not a good thing,” fain said in an interview at the uaw’s detroit headquarters thursday. “so when somebody else comes along and says, ‘get ready to watch your jobs disappear,’ that is gonna resonate.” the uaw is locked in contentious contract negotiations with the so called “big three” auto manufacturers: general motors co., ford motor co. and stellantis, maker of jeep and chrysler models. fain met with biden and senior white house staff last month to brief them on negotiations. a crucial issue is whether the thousands of workers needed to staff battery plants springing up across the country will earn wages on par with members at vehicle assembly plants. employees at ultium cells llc, gm’s venture with lg energy solution in ohio, start at $15.50 an hour, half the top wage at assembly plants. read more: detroit carmakers resist pressure to pay up for battery workers fain, who became the uaw’s first directly elected president this year, is determined to win back benefits given up during the financial crisis to help save car companies. he’s also hinted at striking all three carmakers if no agreement is reached by sept. 14, when the current contract expires. stellantis declined to comment. ford didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. gm pointed to an earlier statement. “we will continue to bargain in good faith with the uaw to maintain our momentum and to provide opportunities for all in our ev future,” gm said. the negotiations and broader ev transition present a political challenge for biden, who’s touted himself as the most pro union president ever, but has found his aspiration for a clean energy economy in tension with his friendliness to organized labor. he waded into the labor conflict this week, calling on the detroit three to “take every possible step to avoid painful plant closings.” the administration has found ways to work wage and labor requirements into its industrial policy push. those include updating 40 year old wage standards to ensure contractors on federally funded construction projects are paid the local rate. but other efforts, like an additional tax credit for union made electric vehicles that biden proposed as part of his signature climate law, have fallen flat. an added challenge is that many of the electric vehicle and battery investments spurred by the inflation reduction act are cropping up in southern, right to work states that aren’t especially friendly to organized labor. biden’s department of energy infuriated the uaw earlier this summer by awarding a $9.2 billion loan to ford and its south korean battery partner sk on for three battery plants in tennessee and kentucky. earlier: union blasts $9.2 billion loan to ford over ‘low road jobs’ senior biden adviser gene sperling said the president is “strongly committed to a just transition, where every worker has the full and unobstructed opportunity to be part of a union and where existing and new auto jobs remain good, well paying jobs that can support a family.” “since the first day of his administration the president’s goals have remained the same: to have a transition to electric vehicles that not only creates more american jobs but more good union jobs,” he added. the white house’s power is limited: us law restricts the government from directly favoring unionized firms, but gives it leeway, when spending taxpayer money, to establish minimum wage or benefit standards, and to give preference to companies that have reached labor peace deals which reduce the likelihood of strikes. “it’s not like biden can just sign something and insist that a new battery plant that’s being built in indiana is going to be unionized,” said university of north carolina labor law professor jeffrey hirsch, a former us national labor relations board attorney. “there are more subtle things they can do,” to boost organizing efforts, hirsch said, both by establishing labor friendly rules and by using the presidential bully pulpit. fain called biden’s statement this week “a good start,” but said there’s “more work to be done,” without going into specifics. “when a corporation wants money and they come to the government with their hand out, they always find a way to make it happen,” he said. “when labor goes to the government and says, ‘we need help,’ there’s always a reason why we can’t do it.” major labor groups including the afl cio and seiu have endorsed biden’s reelection, but the uaw, which endorsed him in 2020, has yet to back a candidate for 2024. “if you expect to get our endorsement just because you show up one day with your hand out and you got a d in front of your name, that’s not gonna happen,” fain said. “you’ll get our endorsement through your actions.” fain has previously said another trump presidency would be a “disaster” and discounted the possibility of endorsing him.   with assistance from jordan fabian, justin sink, keith naughton, josh eidelson, mackenzie hawkins and david welch. (updates sperling comments in 13th and 14th paragraphs.) most read from bloomberg businessweek ‘don’t you remember me?’ the crypto hell on the other side of a spam text sam’s club’s war against costco started with $1.38 hot dog combo gop presidential hopeful ramaswamy sued over strive’s practices the legendary, wildly profitable qqq fund makes no money for its owner brookfield chases rivals for private equity’s new money spinner ©2023 bloomberg l.p.

the uaw has reached a tentative local agreement with the factory in northeast ohio that supplies battery cells for general motors electric vehicles. the workforce at ultium cells, which is a joint venture between gm and south korea based battery company lg energy solution, voted to unionize in december 2022, just five months after the facility started production. the tentative agreement will give most workers there a $3.59 per hour raise upon ratification, according to a letter by uaw president shawn fain posted on www.uaw.org/ultium. "this local agreement is the culmination of thousands of uaw members and leaders who said we’re not going to take it," fain wrote. "in this agreement, we have raised the top production wage from $20 after seven years on the job, to $35 after one year on the job, by the end of the deal. our starting wage has gone up from $16.50 to $26.91. we have better health and safety language at ultium than anywhere in this industry. we have made major gains for skilled trades, on scheduling, and on dozens of other important issues." the union will hold informational meetings to go over the details of the deal, fain said. the plant, which employs 1,700 people according to www.ultiumcells.com, is adjacent to gm's former lordstown assembly plant. gm idled lordstown assembly in 2019 and later sold it to electric truckmaker lordstown motors. need a break? play the usa today daily crossword puzzle. one of the main issues around the union's negotiations with the detroit automakers last fall was organizing the joint venture battery plants and whether those employees would be included in the uaw's national agreement with gm. that would give them equal pay and benefits as workers at assembly plants. in what was a big win for the union during its 46 day targeted strike last fall, gm agreed to allow ultium cells employees to be included in the master contract. when uaw members ratified the new contract with gm last november, employees at ultium cells received an immediate pay raise of $6 to $8 per hour. the uaw gm agreement also allowed for those workers who were transferred to other gm plants in the united states when gm shuttered lordstown in 2019, the chance to return to the area by transferring to the ultium cells plant there. gm spokesman kevin kelly said in a statement to the detroit free press on monday, "we’re pleased that there is a tentative agreement with the uaw at the ultium cells joint venture in warren, ohio. the agreement will now move into the ratification process." no one from uaw local 1112, which represents the workforce at ultium cells in warren, immediately returned a call for comment. likewise, a spokesperson for ultium cells did not immediately respond with a comment. david green, the uaw region 2b director, was the former president of local 1112 when gm closed the lordstown plant. he was involved in negotiating the new contract with ultium cells. "five years ago, when they closed lordstown assembly, it was a major gut punch   i know, i lived it," green told the free press on monday. "they wrote lordstown off for dead. they thought we'd settle for low wages and unsafe jobs. they thought wrong, and now ultium workers are leading the way." green said the workforce will vote on the tentative agreement starting at 5 a.m. friday and ending at 5 a.m. sunday. the uaw posted online the following highlights of the tentative agreement: "this agreement is a game changer for the electric vehicle battery industry, and for the future of lordstown and towns like it all across this country," fain wrote in the letter. "this is the kind of agreement that makes thousands of electric vehicle battery workers want to join the uaw and fight for a better future. you all are leading the way, and i am honored to be a part of this fight alongside you." gm's joint venture has two other ultium cell facilities. in march, ultium cells started production at a new facility in spring hill, tennessee, and it is building a plant in lansing due to start production later this year. more:gm's barra touts gas powered lineup, says customers will determine timing of ev transition more:only one of the detroit automakers won safety awards for its full size suv

supported by the united automobile workers union has been pressing the automaker, which owns chrysler and jeep, to revive the plant in belvidere, ill. by neal e. boudette the united automobile workers union asked a federal labor regulator to conduct an election at a factory ford jointly owns with a south korean battery company. by neal e. boudette government unions, service worker unions and industrial unions all face possible repercussions from donald trump’s victory, but not necessarily all the same kind. by jonathan weisman and benjamin oreskes a pesar de que trump se ha opuesto a las políticas que favorecen a los vehículos eléctricos, si llega a la presidencia podría aliviar el escrutinio regulatorio de tesla o proteger los créditos y subsidios lucrativos. by jack ewing although donald trump has opposed policies that favor electric cars, if he becomes president he could ease regulatory scrutiny of tesla or protect lucrative credits and subsidies. by jack ewing scaremongering in michigan, an ad claims that the vice president wants to “end all gas powered cars” and that her policies would lead to “massive layoffs.” by maggie haberman the president introduced his no. 2, kamala harris, at a labor day event in pittsburgh as the democrats campaigned in crucial midwestern “blue wall” states. by jonathan weisman and nicholas nehamas last week’s democratic national convention surfaced differences over the war in gaza that could widen fissures between labor activists and union officials. by noam scheiber monday’s headliners include president biden and the first lady, jill biden, along with hillary clinton, who was defeated by donald j. trump in the 2016 election. by neil vigdor the united automobile workers union accused the pair of threatening workers during their livestreamed conversation on monday. by tim balk

dealers' #1 source for auto industry news, content, coaching & analysis the new contract, which received 98% approval, will raise production workers' wages to $35 an hour by october 2027. united auto workers (uaw) members at the ohio plant supplying battery cells for general motors’ electric vehicles have overwhelmingly approved a new contract, marking a significant win for labor rights and wages in the ev sector. the workforce at ultium cells, a joint venture between gm and south korea based lg energy solution, voted to unionize in december 2022, just five months after the facility began production. the new contract, which received 98% approval, will raise production workers’ wages to $35 an hour by october 2027. “in this agreement, we have raised the top production wage from $20 after seven years on the job to $35 after one year on the job, by the end of the deal,” uaw president shawn fain wrote on the union’s website. “our starting wage has gone up from $16.50 to $26.91. we have better health and safety language at ultium than anywhere in this industry. we have made major gains for skilled trades, on schedule, and dozens of other important issues.” according to the company’s website, the contract vote took place from 5 a.m. friday through 5 a.m. sunday, demonstrating strong support among the 1,700 person workforce at ultium cells. the plant is next to gm’s former lordstown assembly plant, which was idled in 2019 and later sold to electric truck maker lordstown motors. last fall, the union’s negotiations with detroit automakers revolved around organizing joint venture battery plants. the question at hand was whether the employees at these plants would be covered by the uaw’s national agreement with gm, guaranteeing them equal pay and benefits compared to the workers at assembly plants. during a 46 day targeted strike last fall, gm agreed to include ultium cells employees in the master contract. as a result, when uaw members ratified the new agreement with gm last november, employees at ultium cells received an immediate pay raise of $6 to $8 per hour. this contract approval signifies a major step forward for uaw workers at ultium cells, setting a precedent for labor agreements in the rapidly growing electric vehicle industry. stay up to date on exclusive content from cbt news by following us on facebook, twitter, instagram and linkedin. cbt news is part of the jbf business media family. contact us: info@cbtnews.com © created by cbt news | atlanta web design we are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. you can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. this website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. strictly necessary cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. if you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. this means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

let automotive dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. the united auto workers agreements with gm, ford and stellantis will likely increase labor costs for the big three as more ev battery plants open. in 2019, general motors closed its longtime assembly plant in lordstown, ohio, cutting roughly 1,500 jobs. three years later, in 2022, an electric vehicle battery joint venture between gm and south korean company lg energy solutions, dubbed ultium cells, opened in lordstown, where the $15.50 hourly starting wage was roughly half the top pay of a gm assembly worker. but in 2023, because of labor contracts recently ratified between the united auto workers union and the big three automakers   gm, ford motor co. and stellantis   laid off lordstown assembly workers can now transfer to ultium’s lordstown battery plant. instead of making $15.50 per hour, they’ll be covered under the uaw master agreement, the same contract as assembly workers. the greatest effect of the new contracts on automakers and their joint venture partners will likely be “an increase in costs.” mark wakefield co leader of the global automotive and industrial practice at alixpartners while the recent uaw strike was not about the ev transition, the subject loomed over the contract negotiations. after six weeks of striking, the uaw reached a tentative agreement with ford in late october. less than three weeks later, the uaw’s membership ratified contracts with the big three. for ev battery plants   almost all of which have not yet opened   the key provision is that battery workers can unionize under the uaw master agreement that covers assembly jobs. according to arthur wheaton, director of labor studies at cornell university’s school of industrial and labor relations, the lowest paid auto industry workers, including those employed by battery plants, were the biggest winners. as a result, the greatest effect of the new contracts on automakers and their joint venture partners will likely be “an increase in costs,” said mark wakefield, co leader of the global automotive and industrial practice at alixpartners. of course, while it’s likely that workers will choose to unionize, most battery plants have not been built yet, and there are no workers to organize and vote to join a union, wheaton said. however, the deals “don’t directly affect [the] joint ventures” because the newly union eligible workforces will take time to materialize, wakefield said. only gm and stellantis agreed to cover all ev battery plant workers under the uaw master agreement. the two companies even agreed to allow workers to unionize via “card check,” meaning they would voluntarily recognize a union if most workers wanted one. at ford, however, things “could get ugly,” uaw president shawn fain said in a november interview with bloomberg. during the strike, battery plants were a sticking point for ford. in september, ford ceo jim farley said that the union was “holding the deal hostage over battery plants” because the uaw wanted battery plant workers to be part of the master agreement. even without a ford contract provision promising union support at every plant, the win “puts pressure on all of the battery makers in terms of their wages and benefits,” wheaton said. during the strike, and days after gm said battery plants could be part of the master agreement, the joint venture between ford and sk innovation raised planned wages at the future plants in kentucky and tennessee. ford also agreed that future workers at their marshall, michigan battery plant   still under construction   could be covered under the uaw master agreement and that “surplus” ford workers at other facilities could transfer there. the plant is set to open in 2026 as part of a collaboration with a chinese company, contemporary amperex technology co. the automaker will wholly own the plant through a subsidiary, which should ensure ford doesn’t run afoul of provisions in the inflation reduction act and bipartisan infrastructure act barring companies in the u.s. from claiming tax credits or subsidies for components produced by so called “foreign entities of concern,” including those closely tied to china, iran, north korea and russia. the new union contracts should not affect future joint ventures, wakefield said. those partnerships “are absolutely critical for [u.s. based] auto manufacturers,” said ellen hughes cromwick, senior resident fellow for the climate and energy program at the think tank third way and former chief global economist at ford. the foreign joint venture companies “have been leaders in the creation of battery cells,” she said, and automakers need that expertise as they begin to manufacture ev batteries. eventually, u.s. automakers may build their own battery plants   ford has indicated that it wants to make evs and their components in house. currently, battery plant labor costs are “a tomorrow problem” for automakers, wakefield said, adding that automakers are focused on assembly plants since most battery plants are under construction. “many [joint ventures] were hoping to avoid unionization, but there was still a good chance they were going to be unionized” anyway, wakefield said. it’s “doubtful” that automakers will fight unionization, but an aggrieved joint venture partner might, he said. “if the joint venture partner is extremely against [unionization], they could end up dissolving that partnership,” wheaton said. south korea based electronics giant samsung is notoriously anti union, wheaton noted. yet in the middle of the strike   and less than a week after gm agreed to cover battery plants under its uaw contract  samsung and stellantis announced a battery plant joint venture in kokomo, indiana. gm is also partnering with samsung to build a battery plant in indiana. conversely, wheaton said that samsung’s chief competitor, lg, does not have an anti union reputation. hughes cromwick is excited about what the ev transition will bring to u.s. manufacturing and the economy at large. in 2023 alone, at least 17 new u.s. ev battery cell or battery cell component projects were announced, according to data compiled by wellesley college researchers. “in just the past 12 18 months, from having nothing, we have created a brand new industry in the form of battery cells,” hughes cromwick said. the commitment to electrification “ensures that the auto sector in the u.s. remains an important generator of economic activity and job creation.” you must agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts biodiesel deposits may form in the high pressure fuel pump of trucks equipped with diesel engines, according to the nhtsa. the automaker is extending the offer following record ev sales in 2024. get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts want to share a company announcement with your peers? share your announcement ➔ biodiesel deposits may form in the high pressure fuel pump of trucks equipped with diesel engines, according to the nhtsa. the automaker is extending the offer following record ev sales in 2024. the free newsletter covering the top industry headlines

the united auto workers on friday said it has reached a tentative local agreement with general motors co.'s electric vehicle battery joint venture, ultium cells llc, securing raises and benefits for workers at a plant in northeast ohio. uaw president shawn fain said in a letter that upon ratification, the deal will give most workers a $3.59 per hour raise immediately. one of the key issues of last year's negotiations between the uaw and the detroit three automakers, which included a 46 day strike at gm, was organizing at joint venture owned battery plants and whether those workers would be included in the union's master contract with the company, making them eligible for the same pay and benefits as autoworkers at assembly and components plants. gm agreed to allow for ultium cells employees to be in its master agreement. gm and and lg energy solution's ultium cells llc plant in warren, ohio, which opened in august 2022, now employs 1,700 people, according to its website. it's near the former gm lordstown assembly plant, which closed in 2019. workers at that plant voted to organize with the uaw in december 2022. the companies started cell production at a new plant in spring hill, tennessee, in march and plan to start production at a plant in lansing later this year. upon ratification of the new contract last november, ultium cells workers received an immediate pay increase of at least $6 to $8 per hour. new hire pay increased to a minimum of 75% of the maximum wage rate under the deal. an ultium worker making $20 per hour before last year's agreement saw a 34% increase in pay to $26.91. by the end of the deal, that worker was expected to receive $30.88 per hour. ultium workers had received hikes to their starting pay to $20 per hour from $16.50 when they originally organized, but many employees still expressed discontent, since their top pay remained below the $32.32 wage that full time traditional gm workers made at the time. after reaching the new deal for the ohio workers, fain wrote the uaw had "raised the top production wage from $20 after seven years on the job, to $35 after one year on the job, by the end of the deal. our starting wage has gone up from $16.50 to $26.91." in a statement, ultium spokesperson katie burdette said: "we’re pleased that the uaw has reached a tentative local agreement with our ultium cells, llc joint venture in warren, ohio." gm spokesperson kevin kelly said in a statement that the company is "pleased that there is a tentative agreement with the uaw at the ultium cells joint venture in warren, ohio. the agreement will now move into the ratification process." johnny pence, a 29 year old quality worker at the plant who started in 2022, called details of the deal "huge." "those of us who have been here two years starting at $16.50 have seen a 180 change," he told the detroit news. "a huge thanks to our local bargaining team and all the hard they put into this for us." josh ayers, the uaw local 1112 shop chairman who negotiated the contract with a bargaining team for ultium cells workers, said in a statement that it "was an arduous 16 month journey to get to this point" of reaching a local deal. "this comprehensive local agreement includes wage increases, a signing bonus, overtime incentives, a 10% shift premium, 401k back pay and language specifically tailored for ultium cells in warren, ohio," ayers wrote. "i want to thank the local bargaining committee, uaw region 2b, the uaw gm department and uaw ev strategies dept. for their unwavering resolve and dedication on negotiating this local contract. last but not least, i want to sincerely thank the membership for their patience and support during these negotiations." the uaw noted it won 30% raises over three years for production, quality and material handling workers at the plant and a $3,000 bonus upon ratification. "this agreement is a gamechanger for the electric vehicle battery industry, and for the future of lordstown and towns like it all across this country. this is the kind of agreement that makes thousands of electric vehicle battery workers want to join the uaw and fight for a better future," fain wrote. "you all are leading the way, and i am honored to be a part of this fight alongside you." during the strike last fall, blueoval sk, the joint venture between ford motor co. and battery manufacturer sk on, said it was raising wages for workers it was recruiting to work at three battery plants it's building in tennessee and kentucky, which start opening next year. maintenance technicians and associate maintenance technicians would be paid between $24 and $37.50 per hour, based on experience, it said at the time. the 2023 uaw gm agreement also opened the way for workers displaced by the 2019 closure of lordstown assembly plant the opportunity to transfer to gm's nearby joint venture battery plant in northeast ohio. khall@detroitnews.com @bykaleahall bnoble@detroitnews.com @breanacnoble
trump administration supported by a tentative new contract at an ohio battery maker on monday was big for president biden’s e.v. transition, but for some, the victory was upstaged by the u.a.w.’s activism on college campuses. by jonathan weisman the united automobile workers has scored a remarkable string of victories   most recently, a landmark contract on monday for electric vehicle battery workers   as its new leadership strives to restore the union’s image as the voice of an iconic segment of the american working class. but competing for headlines is a part of the union that represents tens of thousands of university workers, which at the moment is singularly focused on a mission far from building cars and trucks: ending israel’s war in gaza. u.a.w. leaders insist that they can smooth out the dissonance between the dual thrusts of u.a.w. activism   one on college campuses, the other on red state assembly lines. but it will not be easy. the u.a.w. signs that are crowding pro palestinian encampments on campuses, furnished by the union’s international headquarters in detroit, have alone struck sour notes among some union members uncomfortable with such outward signs of politics on such a fraught topic. “it’s so bad for the union,” said isaac altman, a u.a.w. member and staff lawyer in the family court bureau of the legal aid society of nassau county, n.y., who has clashed with his local over a pro palestine resolution he called “slightly more radical than hezbollah.” (the resolution called for an immediate cease fire and an end to “the occupation and blockade of palestinian land, sea and air by israeli military forces.”) the competition for attention may only get worse. on monday, union negotiators reached a tentative agreement with ultium cells, general motors’ joint venture with lg energy solution, a korean company, that could prove to be a landmark in the auto industry’s transition to electric vehicles. it would give huge wage increases and far more safety protections to employees at an e.v. battery plant in lordstown, ohio, solid evidence that president biden’s efforts to combat climate change could fulfill his promise that a green future will not leave workers behind. “it’s a huge deal,” said dave green, the regional director of the u.a.w. in ohio and indiana. “we’ve been trying to have a just transition and stop this race to the bottom for wages for e.v. workers. this contract is very exciting.”

the shift to electric vehicles is looking better today for u.s. auto workers than it did before a strike against the three major detroit automakers, thanks to agreements that expand the reach of the united auto workers to include battery manufacturing plants. but the legacy of the strike at least as it relates to evs will depend on the extent to which the united auto workers can use its gains from new contracts to build momentum in organizing nonunion plants, like those operated by tesla, honda and toyota. the union reached a tentative agreement with general motors on monday, which follows similar resolutions in recent days with ford and stellantis, the parent company of chrysler. the uaw made several major gains, including provisions that will ease a path to unionization of workers at battery manufacturing plants, even if those plants are not wholly owned by the automakers. the proposals, which end a strike that began on sept. 15, still need to be ratified by members. please take a look at the new openings in our newsroom.