BYD has announced that, following a vote of the employees at its Lancaster, California factory, it has recognized the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART) as the employee representative in negotiations. This vote, often called a “card-check,” is an important step towards unionization.
“BYD is one of the few companies today creating manufacturing jobs in the U.S. We have tripled in size in the last 18 months, with orders for our advanced technology zero-emission coaches, buses, and trucks coming in from across the country. As a result, we will continue to grow and expand our facility in Lancaster and look to add more manufacturing jobs in the near future. Working for BYD shouldn’t just be a job, it should be a career, and this vote helps affirm that for our employees. We’re proud to have a strong and healthy relationship with organized labor in our community and look to continue this positive relationship for many years to come,” said Stella Li, president of BYD America.
James White, SMART’s director of organizing, agreed and said “It’s clear that BYD is here for the long haul, and we’re glad to see them stand with us in support of their workers. BYD has demonstrated a strong desire from the beginning to always provide the best environment for its workers, and we are pleased to have them as a willing and engaged partner.”
The unionization process began in summer 2016 when SMART and BYD signed a neutrality agreement giving the union the right to begin speaking with employees. Following the card-check, SMART and a group of elected representatives from BYD factory staff will survey employee goals and begin contract negotiations with BYD management.
“Too many manufacturing employers fight unionization efforts, but a strong relationship between management and labor means more growth, good jobs, and, ultimately, a better product,” said Madeline Janis, executive director of the transit workers advocacy group Jobs to Move America. “I want to thank BYD for engaging in this process in good faith, and look forward to seeing a strong contract take effect.”
The BYD factory in Lancaster, California currently employs more than 400 local people, and with a planned expansion nearly complete, that number is expected to triple over the next three years.
“It is always important for management and the workforce to work closely together toward a common goal,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. “I applaud Stella Li and the entire BYD team on the stellar growth of their many environmental-friendly product lines. We are very proud to have their North American manufacturing plant here in Lancaster, and very much look forward to their continued growth.”