BOSK Workers Call on NLRB to Step In: “We Deserve a Fair Shot at a Union Vote”

GLENDALE, KY – The UAW is calling on the National Labor Relations Board to investigate Ford and BlueOval SK (BOSK) for violating federal labor law before it sets the date for an election to ensure a fair and democratic vote — one free from illegal employer intimidation, retaliation, and coercion.

A supermajority of workers at BOSK — the electric vehicle battery joint venture between Ford and SK On — filed for a union election with the UAW in January, demanding safer working conditions, the affordable health care they were originally promised, and a voice on the job. But since then, BOSK and Ford have launched a scorched-earth anti-union campaign designed to scare workers and chill support.

Instead of respecting the legal process or workers’ right to choose, BOSK has illegally fired and retaliated against vocal union supporters, unlawfully forced workers into closed-door meetings, and threatened to shut down the plant. The company has bought up anti-union ads, distributed anti-union swag, and brought in high-priced consultants to expose workers to non-stop anti-union campaigning.

“Ford knows better. For over 80 years, Ford workers have had a union and a voice. But at BOSK, they’re doing everything they can to stop these workers from having the same thing,” said Laura Dickerson, UAW Vice President and Director of the Ford Department. “You can’t have a fair vote when the company is flooding the plant with fear and propaganda.”

Workers say the company’s actions have poisoned the atmosphere around the election — especially in a workplace already plagued by serious safety concerns. A recent Louisville Courier-Journal investigation revealed that BOSK workers have faced toxic chemical exposure, broken bones, and faulty safety equipment.

“BOSK wants to act like there are no safety issues here. But the chemicals we work with are dangerous.  We want the ability to speak up and make things safer in a contract. That’s what a union is about,” said Rob Collett, a Production Associate.

Other workers described being told to work without proper gear and warned not to talk about forming a union.

“These BOSK workers are brave as hell,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “They stood up and organized because they want what everyone deserves — a safe job and a voice at work. Battery jobs are growing fast here in Kentucky, but they should be good, safe union jobs — not jobs where workers get hurt and silenced. We need a fair shot to vote without the company trying to rig the outcome. Elected leaders can’t look the other way while this industry grows — they need to have workers’ backs. Who are we? U-A-W!”

Workers and the UAW are calling on the NLRB to hold the company accountable until the Board can begin investigating the company’s actions and restore the conditions for a free and fair vote.

“We are excited to vote yes! We have been waiting for this for a long time. However, we are asking the NLRB to ensure a fair playing field,” said Emily Drueke, Quality Department.

The campaign at BOSK is part of a growing wave of worker organizing in the EV battery industry, including major wins at Ultium Cells in Ohio and Tennessee. Workers across the South are standing up — and demanding what they’ve earned: a union and a voice on the job.