GLENDALE, Ky.—In the battle between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the forces of corporate greed and union-busting, BlueOval SK (BOSK) has been forced to withdraw all of its objections to the union election held this past August. This capitulation by the transnational joint venture removes the largest legal barrier to certification and is a direct result of the unbreakable unity and determination of the workers in the plant.
Since the election was held in August, BOSK filed eight objections to the conduct of the election. One such claim was that election staff “rolled their eyes” at a prospective voter.
The withdrawal of these objections paves the way for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to officially certify the election results, a process now believed to be imminent, workers reported. The NLRB can now move on in the certification process to the challenged ballots, which the union maintains were an illegitimate corporate tactic to “flood the unit and undermine the outcome.”
“This decision by the company is a direct result of the solidarity and courage shown by the workers,” Derek Dougherty, a module production worker and UAW Organizing Committee member at BOSK, told People’s World. “From the moment we filed for our union, we have stood united against a relentless campaign of delays, opposition, and harassment. This step forward is a victory for every worker who dared to stand up and demand a voice and a better future.”
Now seasoned by several months of class struggle, workers are clear-eyed about the nature of this concession. They rightfully understand that management only retreats when met with superior force—in this case BOSK’s withdrawal is not an act of good-will but a strategic retreat in the face of a disciplined and growing worker-led movement. The company calculated that further legal obstruction would only inflame the workforce and strengthen the union’s resolve.
“While we acknowledge this necessary step, our experience has taught us to judge this company by its actions, not its legal maneuvers,” Dougherty told People’s World. “For months, we have witnessed their resistance to our fundamental legal right to organize. We will not mistake a tactical legal withdrawal for a genuine change of heart.”
This development marks a critical new phase in the ongoing battle at the $5.8 billion battery plant, a joint venture of Ford Motor Co. and South Korea’s SK On. The initial vote in August, which stood at 526-515 in favor of the UAW, was a hard-fought win for organized labor in Kentucky’s notoriously anti-union “right-to-work” environment.
The election capped months of intense struggle, during which the company, aided by the union-busting firm LRI Consulting Services, waged a vicious campaign of captive-audience meetings, worker interrogations, and illegal firings of union supporters.
The UAW’s campaign focused on worker complaints about safety, job security, and healthcare, with an investigative report from the Courier Journal uncovering a series of workplace injuries, chemical exposures, and inadequate safety protocols at the plant.
The fight now shifts to the contract.
“The real test of the company’s intentions lies ahead,” Dougherty emphasized. “Our focus is now entirely on securing a strong and fair first contract. The withdrawal of objections must be followed by an immediate and good-faith commitment to bargaining. The workers have spoken clearly and decisively.”
The history of the labor movement shows that the capitalist class often shifts tactics from open confrontation to protracted delay and bad-faith bargaining at the contract table. One need only look at the years-long campaign by Starbucks Workers United, now on a national Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike for a first contact, to illustrate this point. The workers at BOSK are prepared for this next stage of the fight.
“Any further attempts to delay or deny us the contract that we have earned,” Dougherty stated, “will be met with the same unwavering resolve that brought us to this moment.” The task now, he said, is to consolidate this victory into a powerful contract that improves the material conditions of all workers and builds the power necessary for the battles to come.
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