(KOKOMO, INDIANA) - A majority of Workers employed at StarPlus Energy in Kokomo, Indiana have signed cards to join the United Auto Workers (UAW).

The company has agreed to recognize their Union.

StarPlus, a joint venture between Stellantis and Samsung SDI, stayed neutral during the process and did not stand in the way of the 420 Workers who chose to organize.

With no threats or pressure, Workers came together and won their union as soon as a majority signed cards. 

“This is a big deal for StarPlus Workers in Indiana,” said Frank Bush, a StarPlus Employee. “We were able to decide our future without intimidation and now we’re on a path to the good pay and benefits and respect on the job that other Auto Workers in battery are winning.” 

StarPlus Workers are joining a growing wave of Union wins across the Midwest and South.

Their success follows major victories at other Battery Plants, including Lordstown, Ohio and Spring Hill, Tennessee, where Workers Unionized with the UAW and won strong agreements. 

The Kokomo Plant started production earlier this year and is part of a larger expansion of electric vehicle battery manufacturing in the U.S.

The victory in Kokomo adds to the momentum sparked by the breakthrough contracts won by UAW Members at the Lordstown and Spring Hill Plants, which included major wage increases and strong health and safety protections. 

“Joining the Union is going to help us build a better life,” said Anna Deweese, another StarPlus Worker. “We’re not asking for the moon - we just want decent pay, affordable health care and to have protections in an uncertain economy.” 

The protections won through The Big Three agreement provide a powerful framework for Workers at new EV plants like StarPlus.

With strong Union support, Workers are now in a better position to secure fair wages, safe workplaces, and long-term stability in this fast-growing industry, the UAW said. 

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