BOSK workers in Kentucky launch UAW union campaign for better standards

Kentucky's BlueOval SK Workers Seek Unionization with UAW

GLENDALE, Ky. – A significant majority of employees at BlueOval SK (BOSK) in Kentucky have taken steps to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) by signing union authorization cards. This move marks a substantial effort by electric vehicle (EV) battery workers under the joint venture of Ford and SK On to organize with the UAW.

To publicly announce their campaign, BOSK workers have released a new video, which can be viewed here. Media outlets are encouraged to utilize this footage. Further details about the initiative can be found on the UAW's official website at uaw.org/BOSK.

The video, featuring narration by BOSK employees, emphasizes that “battery workers are autoworkers” deserving of the “good, safe union jobs” that UAW members have secured in other sectors of the automotive industry.

This campaign is part of a broader movement that builds on the successes achieved by UAW-represented battery workers at Ultium Cells located in Lordstown, Ohio, and Spring Hill, Tenn. Ultium, a partnership, manufactures batteries for General Motors’ electric vehicle lineup.

In June, UAW members at Ultium's Lordstown facility ratified a contract that mirrors the robust standards seen at all General Motors locations. Similarly, in September, workers at the new Ultium plant in Spring Hill successfully formed their union and are now gearing up for contract negotiations.

As BOSK currently operates as a nonunion facility, its workforce experiences pay, benefits, and safety conditions that fall short of what UAW members at Ford enjoy. For instance, a starting production worker at BOSK earns $21 an hour compared to UAW-represented Ford workers, who begin at $26.32 and can exceed $42 an hour after three years of service.

BOSK employees are uniting to attain the UAW standards enjoyed by autoworkers. The campaign by BOSK and Ultium workers is setting a precedent for the burgeoning EV battery sector. A recent report highlights that manufacturers have announced nearly 90,000 jobs tied to the EV battery sector, with investments surpassing $100 billion over the last nine years.

The growing unionization movement among nonunion battery workers, particularly in the Southern U.S., draws inspiration from the UAW's successful Stand Up Strike at the Big Three automakers and the triumph of Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, Tenn. This group became the first Southern autoworkers outside the Big Three to join the UAW when they voted in April.