LORDSTOWN — The United Auto Workers filed a petition for election on behalf of workers at the Ultium Cells plant in Lordstown, claiming the company is refusing to recognize cards that the employees signed to join the union.

The petition was filed with the Cleveland office of the National Labor Relations Board for 900 workers at the Lordstown Ultium plant. Ultium is a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution to mass produce EV battery cells for the automaker as it moves to zero emissions and full electrification.

The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, or UAW, said Ultium previously engaged in talks with them about a process for certifying the union’s majority status without going through an National Labor Relations Board election.

“Make no mistake: whether it is by card check or union election, these workers will be members of the UAW,” Ray Curry, UAW President, said in a prepared statement Monday.

Ultium said it respects workers’ right to choose union representation and will comply with the National Labor Relations Act, which protects employees’ rights to freely decide unionization through a voluntary election conducted by the NLRB.

“Ultium Cells believes the right to a personal and private vote is important,” the company said.

In September, 94 percent of Ultium Cells workers who cast ballots at the UAW Local 1112 Union Hall authorized a strike for recognition.

At that time, UAW Local 1112 President Darwin Cooper said it would be a waiting game to see if the EV parts maker accepts the results of a previous tally to measure interest in organizing under the International UAW or if the workers will strike to gain union recognition.

At the time, Cooper added he doubted anybody really wants to strike.

A “recognition strike” is a way for nonunion employees at a company to try to force the employer to recognize them as a bargaining unit and negotiate a contract by refusing to come to work. In this instance, it would be called and a deadline for recognition set by the International UAW in Detroit, Cooper said.

When asked in September for a response to the strike-authorization vote, an Ultium Cells spokewoman said it “respects workers’ right to unionize and the efforts of the UAW or any other union to organize battery-cell manufacturing workers at our manufacturing sites.

“Ultium Cells has every intention of complying with the National Labor Relations Act, which protects our employees’ right to decide the issue of union representation through a voluntary democratic election conducted by the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board).”

The $2.3 billion Ultium Cells plant in Lordstown is the first in operation of four either under construction or planned.

The local factory started to manufacture the battery cells in September and said it plans to begin shipping the parts that will be part of several GM EV models by the end of the year.

The focus had turned to workforce training as the plant ramps to full production, which is targeted for late 2023. The company expects to employ more than 1,100 workers.

Batteries manufactured here will go into vehicles with GM’s Ultium batteries, including Hummer EVs, Chevrolet Silverado EV pickups and the Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV.

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