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Lucid Workers Win Substantial Back Pay and Reinstatement in Dramatic Settlement

Workers organizing at the electric vehicle maker Lucid have won a settlement with a quarter-million dollars in back pay, the right to return to work, and a sweeping cease and desist order that stops the company from committing a long list of unfair labor practices.

The settlement, approved on Dec. 31 by the National Labor Relations Board, is a Formal Board Settlement. Formal settlements are typically reserved for companies committing serious labor law violations. The Lucid settlement stems from unfair labor practice charges filed by the UAW for the 2023 firing of three workers organizing with the union. Those firings and other anti-union efforts by Lucid were found to be so extreme that the NLRB sought and obtained a rare 10(j) injunction against the company this September. 

“This settlement shows a better way forward for Lucid and companies like it,” said Lucid worker Amie Hansen, who received $120,000 in back pay in the settlement and the right to return permanently to her job. “Instead of trying to block our right to organize, Lucid should have been working with us all along as we’ve struggled to get this company off the ground. Respect for the voice of workers is critical to the long-term success of this company.”

The settlement ensures that Lucid workers will have the right to make their voices heard. In the settlement, Lucid accepts the Board’s order that it must cease and desist committing a list of nine unfair labor practices including:  

  • Firing or threatening employees for engaging in protected organizing activities 
  • Surveilling employees to discover if they’re engaged in organizing 
  • Confiscating union literature from non-work areas 


Lucid also must take positive steps to make whole three fired workers with back pay, damages and interest payments totaling $258,000. In addition, within 14 days of the Dec. 31 order, the company must distribute a video about the settlement to workers at Lucid’s two facilities in Casa Grande, Ariz. The video will be recorded in a company cafe area by a Board agent who will inform workers of the settlement and their rights to organize under U.S. law. The company will also post physical notices of the settlement and workers’ rights at its Casa Grande locations.

“Every autoworker in America can take heart from this settlement,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “Lucid is backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the deepest pockets in the world. But Lucid workers stood up and won justice. They showed that no matter how big the challenge workers can win when they stand together and fight for a better life.”

“This is a significant victory for worker and climate justice,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller.  “We’re building the green economy to create a more sustainable future. But we will only have a truly sustainable future if we build our economy around protecting both the planet and workers’ right to organize for justice on the job without employer interference.” 

The UAW has aggressively supported the Lucid workers’ fight to form their union. When Lucid fired the workers for organizing in February 2023, the UAW filed multiple unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB. Acting on the union’s charges, the Board sought and won the 10(j) injunction, which ordered the company to offer interim reinstatement to the workers even before the settlement was approved on Dec. 31.

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UAW Calls Out Missed Opportunities in Lansing Lame Duck, Applauds Key Working-Class Wins

LANSING — Today, the UAW applauds key legislative victories passed this lame duck session in Lansing affecting thousands of working-class Michiganders. The UAW called upon legislators to fight for working class people, and they delivered key wins on wages, healthcare and retirement security, including:

  • 70% increase in unemployment for laid off workers from $362/week to $614/week and extending unemployment insurance from 20 weeks to 26 weeks.
  • Legislation to make healthcare more affordable and restore public sector workers’ rights to negotiate healthcare costs, including over 15,000 UAW members in the public sector.
  • Legislation reinstating pensions for some state workers for the first time in decades, an important step in winning back a benefit that all workers deserve.

These bills will change the lives of many working class people in Michigan. However, legislators left many priorities for working people on the table when some chose not to show up, not to lead, or not to fight.

“UAW members demanded that Lansing lawmakers pick a side: the working-class or the corporate class,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The Senate heard us and led a marathon session to see through important laws to boost the lives of thousands of working-class people.”

“But too much was left on the table thanks to the loyalty of some politicians to the looming corporate influences in Lansing. Our elected officials should remember that the mighty membership of the UAW does not shy away from letting those in power know when they aren’t doing their jobs well and are prepared to make their voices heard in the Capitol and the ballot box.”

The UAW now looks to Governor Gretchen Whitmer as the last step to signing into law pieces of an agenda centered on working-class Michiganders.

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Statement from UAW Vice President Mike Booth on Update of the GM Special Attrition Program (SAP)

As you may know, our 2023 contract provides multiple opportunities for retiring pension-eligible GM workers to receive a $50,000 benefit. This benefit is called the Special Attrition Program, or SAP. We were successful in negotiating this benefit because of the solidarity of our members standing strong while we were at the bargaining table. We all owe a debt of gratitude to those retiring members who came before us.  

The second round of SAP is currently open. Everyone who is retirement eligible as of March 31, 2025 is eligible for this round of SAP. The application window opened on Thursday November 22, 2024 and closes on January 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST. 

We continue to improve the SAP. In our first round, all 1,412 GM production workers who signed up received the benefit. However, of the 545 skilled trades workers who expressed interest in taking the SAP, only 142 were eligible in the first window. Our Skilled Trades members wanted more, and we delivered. In this round, anyone who is eligible and applies will receive the benefit, including all skilled trades and production workers. 

There is some important information that I want everyone considering the SAP to keep in mind. This is the only SAP opportunity we anticipate for 2025 and do not expect another round of SAP until 2026, at the earliest. Applications for SAP are made online through Workday. You can apply for SAP and withdraw your application multiple times during the application window. However, if you have not withdrawn your decision by January 5th at 11:59pm, you will be required to retire. Once the window closes, your decision is final. If you have any questions about the SAP benefit, please direct them to your Local Union Bargaining Committee. 

I want to thank our negotiating team for their work on this round of SAP and also our membership for securing such a strong contract. Our SAP at GM is unique because it has multiple rounds, with more members becoming eligible at each round.  This means far more GM workers will be eligible to receive the $50,000 SAP. The size, scope, and timing of each phase of the SAP has to be negotiated. Our team is getting results.  

In solidarity,

UAW Vice President Mike Booth 

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UAW Applauds Passage of Unemployment Insurance Reform as Michigan Legislature Takes First Step to Deliver on Working-Class Priorities

LANSING, MI — Yesterday, Michigan workers and the UAW celebrated a landmark victory as the state legislature approved a significant reform to the unemployment insurance system. Under the new legislation, weekly benefits will increase by 70%, rising from $362 to $614. This long-overdue change provides essential relief for workers and brings Michigan closer to aligning with the rest of the Great Lakes region.

“For too long, corporations and the wealthy have rigged the rules in their favor, leaving the working class behind,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “This reform is a positive shift toward leveling the playing field and ensuring that all workers have the support they need to navigate tough times. UAW members demanded action, and Michigan lawmakers stepped up and showed us whose side they’re on.”

Michigan’s unemployment system has been one of the most restrictive in the nation, leaving too many workers behind during times of economic hardship. Yesterday’s reform begins to address these inequities, but much more needs to be done to ensure all workers are treated fairly and with dignity.

This victory comes in the final days of Michigan’s Democratic trifecta, after intense advocacy from the UAW and labor allies who called on legislators to choose between standing with the working class or doing the bidding of corporations and big donors.

On December 4, the UAW laid out its policy positions for the session and urged legislators to pass bills taking action on living wages, health care, retirement with dignity, time with our families, fighting against corporate greed and corporate influence over our politics, and standing united against divide and conquer politics.

Following the passage of the unemployment insurance legislation, the UAW pushed lawmakers to keep the momentum going and pass additional measures that protect workers’ rights and strengthen communities across the state.

“Make no mistake—Michigan legislators still need to show up for the entire working class. There are still critical issues to address in this lame duck session, including workers’ compensation reform and restoring local control over labor standards. The UAW is watching the clock and will continue to hold our leaders accountable,” said Fain.

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Statement from UAW President Shawn Fain on Stellantis-Samsung SDI Leasing Agreement and Carlos Tavares Resignation

We are excited to announce that Stellantis has finalized their employee leasing agreement at their joint venture battery plant with Samsung SDI. This means over 1,000 new jobs for UAW members in Kokomo, at a time when Stellantis is trying to cut its way out of its own mismanagement.

We won this leasing agreement in our 2023 contract negotiations, but under the failed leadership of Carlos Tavares, the company delayed making good on their commitment to workers in Kokomo. This pattern of going back on agreements and violating our contract was part of what led us to call for Tavares’s resignation.

We look forward to continuing this progress in honoring our contract with new Stellantis leadership that respects hardworking UAW members and is ready to keep its promise to America by investing in the people who build its products.

Tavares’ resignation is a major step in the right direction for a company that has been mismanaged and a workforce that has been mistreated for too long. Tavares is leaving behind a mess of painful layoffs and overpriced vehicles sitting on dealership lots. For weeks, thousands of UAW members at Stellantis have been calling for the company to fire Tavares due to his reckless mismanagement of the company. We are pleased to see the company responding to pressure and correcting course.

We will keep using all means available to hold Stellantis accountable and enforce the contract we won in 2023, including advancing strikeable grievances until Stellantis keeps its investment commitments to workers in Belvidere, Michigan, and beyond. We are looking forward to sitting down with the new CEO, backed up by thousands of UAW Stellantis members ready to take action, and discussing their plan to keep making world-class vehicles here in the United States.

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Joint Statement from UAW International and UAW Staff Council Union

Today, the UAW International and UAW Staff Council Union reached a tentative agreement with the UAW’s temporary organizing staff represented by the union. The agreement provides for the most generous economic package for temporary organizers in the labor movement, longer duration of appointment, enhanced immigration protections, and training and development for temporary organizers. The deal reflects the UAW International Executive Board’s and UAW Staff Council’s shared commitment to investing in new organizing, growing the labor movement, and building on the UAW’s demonstrated organizing success. We look forward to pursuing those shared goals in the interest of best serving the UAW membership and building power for the working class.

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Supermajority of Workers at EV Battery Maker BlueOval SK in Kentucky Have Signed Union Cards, Launch Public Campaign to Join UAW

GLENDALE, Ky. – A supermajority of workers at BlueOval SK (BOSK) in Kentucky have signed union authorization cards and today launched their public campaign to join the UAW. The campaign launch at BOSK, a joint venture of Ford and SK On, is the latest breakthrough for electric vehicle (EV) battery workers organizing with the UAW.

A new video announcing the campaign can be accessed here, and the media is invited to use the footage. (More information on the campaign is available at uaw.org/BOSK.)

In the video, narrated by BOSK workers, they explain that “battery workers are autoworkers” and deserve “the good, safe union jobs” that UAW members have won elsewhere in the auto industry.

The BOSK workers are building on the victories of UAW battery workers at Ultium Cells in Lordstown, Ohio, and Spring Hill, Tenn. Ultium is the joint venture that makes batteries for General Motors’ EV fleet.

In June, UAW members at Ultium in Lordstown, Ohio, won a contract with the same strong standards that UAW members have at all General Motors facilities. In September, workers at Ultium’s new plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., formed their union and are now preparing to negotiate their union contract.

Because BOSK is currently a nonunion facility, workers there have pay, benefit and safety standards much weaker than those of UAW members at Ford. Starting pay for a BOSK production worker is just $21 an hour. UAW production workers at Ford start at $26.32, and after three years will make over $42 an hour.

BOSK workers are joining together to ensure that they achieve UAW autoworkers standards. The movement led by BOSK and Ultium workers is setting strong standards for the rapidly expanding EV battery industry. A recent study found that manufacturers have announced nearly 90,000 current or future jobs in the EV battery industry linked to more than $100 billion in investments over the last nine years.

The growing movement among nonunion battery workers across the country, and especially in the South, builds off the success of the UAW’s Stand Up Strike at the Big Three and the victory by Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., who became the first Southern autoworkers outside the Big Three to win their union when they voted to join the UAW in April.

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UAW Calls on Michigan Legislature to Deliver for Working Class People in Lame Duck Session

DETROIT – The United Auto Workers issued the following statement today calling on the Michigan legislature to deliver for working class people in the upcoming lame duck session.

The UAW is the state’s largest union, with over 300,000 active and retired members in Michigan.

For too long, corporations and the rich have taken more of the wealth we’ve created for themselves. They’ve rigged the rules of our politics and pitted working-class people against one another by telling us there isn’t enough for everyone. That must end.

In the final days of the Democratic trifecta, we are calling on the legislature to show up and fight for working class people.

Michigan’s lawmakers can fight for the working class or do the bidding of corporations and big donors, but they can’t do both. It’s time to pick a side.

We must go on offense for living wages, health care, retirement with dignity, and time with our families. We must defend against corporate greed and divide and conquer politics.

In the lame duck session, we are expecting action from our legislators, and we will be watching closely. Who stands with the working class on our core issues, and who stands with corporate interests?

In the coming days, the UAW will be demanding action on important legislation that makes life better for working people and our families and that protects our rights and communities from harm.

We need our leaders to fight for the working class all over this country, but it starts here in Michigan, the birthplace of the UAW.

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A message from UAW International President Shawn Fain

UAW Family,

Last week, the American people decided to give Donald Trump another term as President of the United States. In a democracy, the four most important words are: The People Have Spoken.

And while it’s not the outcome our union advocated for, and it’s not the outcome a majority of our members voted for, our mission remains the same. We must raise the standard of living for our members and the entire working class through unity, solidarity, and working-class power. No matter who is in the White House.

Going into this election, we heard from our CAP Councils, polled our membership, and looked at the records of the two candidates, and the choice was clear. A majority of UAW members were supporting Biden, and then Harris, and a majority voted accordingly.

But for us, this was never about party or personality. As we have said consistently, both parties share blame for the one-sided class war that corporate America has waged on our union, and on working-class Americans for decades.
And we stand today where we stood last week.

We stand for bringing back American jobs.

We stand for renegotiating the broken USMCA trade deal.

We stand for taking on corporations that break their promises to American workers.

And we stand against the same things we’ve always stood against.

We will never support the destruction of the union movement.

We will never support efforts to divide and conquer the working class by nationality, race, and gender.

We will never support handouts to the ultra-wealthy or paying for it by cutting crucial federal investments.

We are unafraid to confront any politician who takes actions that harm the working class, our communities and our unions.

But the UAW will also work with any politician, regardless of party, who stands with the working class.

So, our mission now is to keep our issues on the table.

Our mission is to be loud and clear about where we stand.

Our mission is to stop plant closures and the mass exodus of jobs to low-wage, high-exploitation countries.

Our mission is to stop the race to the bottom as blue-collar jobs are liquidated in service of Wall Street paydays.

Our mission is to ensure a secure retirement, a living wage, adequate healthcare, and work-life balance for every one of our members, and every member of the working class.

Today, our members clock in to the same jobs they clocked into last week. You face the same threats – corporate greed, Wall Street predators, and a political system that ignores us. And we are driven by the same force, as outlined in our UAW Constitution generations ago: “the hope of the worker in advancing society toward the ultimate goal of social and economic justice.”

No matter how you voted, or how you’re feeling about the results, I encourage each and every one of you to get involved. Our UAW Constitution provides for a CAP rep at every plant, CAP Councils in every region, and implores every UAW member to participate in the political process.

And that process does not begin or end with the presidential election. Political action on every level of government, in every state, in every sector has an impact on every contract, every organizing drive, and every standard we win as a union. This union belongs to you, and we want you to get involved today.

 

In solidarity,
UAW President Shawn Fain
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