A group of workers trying to unionize Rivian’s manufacturing plant in Normal say they are growing frustrated with an apparent pullback in support from the United Auto Workers.
Just a few years ago, those workers say, the UAW was actively trying to stoke organizing at Rivian, which is one of McLean County’s largest employers. The UAW – eager at the time to gain a foothold in the electric-vehicle space – announced a splashy and “unprecedented” simultaneous organizing drive at several nonunion auto plants, including Rivian, urging them to sign cards to unionize.
The workers say that work has now stalled at Rivian. That’s made organizing difficult for the dwindling members of the voluntary organizing committee [VOC] at Rivian, said Renee Leonard, a VOC member who works in a manufacturing role at Rivian.
“When I start to lose my faith in the UAW, what am I supposed to tell my peers?” said Leonard. “As one of the leaders, when I have no answers, people stop trusting me."
The UAW did not respond to multiple requests for comments for this story. The Normal plant used to be a UAW shop, back when Mitsubishi built vehicles here.
Leonard and other workers say the UAW’s posture changed drastically after the UAW and Rivian reportedly reached a neutrality agreement. Bloomberg reported in late 2024 that Rivian agreed to stay neutral on organizing efforts, but only after certain profitability goals were met. The purported agreement has never become public, and it’s unclear what profitability metrics would need to be achieved.
Schaefer said the profitability trigger is interesting because Rivian workers’ concerns are not predominantly about money, said Schaefer. Their surveys showed it’s work-life balance, safety, and on-the-job harassment that are bigger concerns, Leonard.
“Money’s not in the Top 5,” she said. “I want a say in what goes on in my work life and my home life. Right now, I don't have any of that. They can change your schedule. They can do whatever they want, because I don't have a seat at the table.”
If at least 30% of workers at the plant sign cards or a petition saying they want a union, the National Labor Relations Board will conduct an election. If a majority choose the union, the NLRB will certify the union for collective bargaining. Alternatively, a company like Rivian could voluntarily recognize the union, without an election.
Leonard and Schaefer say the UAW’s pullback has made it hard to even determine how many people work in the hourly manufacturing jobs that would comprise the proposed bargaining unit. They say that’s made it impossible to determine how close they potentially are to taking a vote, since they don’t know what 30% or 50% would be. Last year Rivian stopped publicly disclosing how many people work in Normal, although it’s never fully explained why.
Leonard and Schaefer say the UAW previously sent multiple staff representatives to Bloomington-Normal to work on Rivian, including a busy office space. Those reps are gone and that UAW office is now a ghost town, they said.
After the purported neutrality agreement was reached, Leonard and Schaefer say the UAW and Rivian were supposed to hold quarterly meetings to discuss issues in the plant. There have only been two such meetings in the past year, they claim, and none of them have involved workers from the proposed bargaining unit.
The voluntary organizing committee that once had around 50 members has dwindled to maybe 10, Leonard and Schaefer said.
"Most everybody's pretty much given up," Schaefer said.
Looking elsewhere
Schaefer said he’s reached out to other unions to see if they could organize under their umbrella, such as the Laborers. But he said other unions are unwilling to encroach on UAW’s territory while they’re still technically organizing in the plant.
Bloomington and Normal Trades & Labor Assembly [AFL-CIO] President Jason Pascal confirmed he’s spoken to Rivian organizers and offered support several times in recent years – and that the territorial issue is a real barrier.
“Jurisdictionally, no union is going to go against another union if they’ve already begun an organizing campaign,” Pascal said. “It would take them saying no, we’re no longer interested before someone would step in. It’s out of respect.”
Leonard said she’s been told that the UAW would have to provide workers with a formal letter releasing them to look elsewhere before a move would be possible.
“We need protection. And if they [the UAW] don’t want to do it, get out of our way. Give us a letter saying that you don’t have the time, don’t have the people, whatever it is. But we can’t wait 10 years,” Schaefer said. “We need it now.”
In its SEC filings, Rivian has said unionization “can result in the loss of a direct relationship with our employees, higher employee costs, operational restrictions and an increased risk of disruption to operations.”
“If any of our employees decide to join or seek recognition to form a labor union, if we are required to become a union signatory, or as we engage to finalize negotiations with any such union, we could be subject to risks, including substantial distraction from our business, potential work slowdowns or stoppages, delays and increased human capital related costs,” the company said.
When asked for a comment for this story, Rivian said: “Rivian is focused on maintaining a culture where we respect, communicate with, and reward our employees as individuals. We are building a self-sustaining business. We are on the path to get there, together with our employees.”
