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How many?
At this time, final employment figures have not been confirmed. Ultium has filed a SB-1 form with St. Joseph County indicating an estimated 1,600 jobs with a total payroll of $75.2 million annually. This project represents the County's most significant single new jobs announcement in the past 75 years.
Wages
The total compensation plan includes wages, performance incentive, benefits, and tuition reimbursement for all employees. Health Care Benefits (HCB) begin on the first day of employment, in comparison only 30% of hourly employees receive HCB on day one, and 50% of salary employees. Large manufacturers in the region offer training & development to 64% and tuition assistance to 45% of hourly workers. The wages for salary and hourly are aligned with the median hourly rate in St. Joseph County. Employees have an opportunity to increase wages every six months to a maximum rate by seven years. In addition, there are performance incentives paid quarterly.
The Ultium project wages are greater than the MIT Living Wage Index for 1 adult in St. Joseph County. According to the Indiana Association Local Market Update for October 2022 for St. Joseph County, the median sales price is $201,000 versus the October 2021 median sales price of $175,000. In June, the average rent in County was $1,000. For example, a person making $47,000 annually
- With no other debt, good credit, and 20% down (recommended amount) can buy a $200,000 home. (Mortgage-Calculator.net)
- If the person has $400 monthly debt (i.e., car payment, loans) they can afford rent of $1,010. Debt does not include utilities, food, etc. (Mortgage-Calculator.net)
Will training be provided?
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the South Bend Regional Chamber, and local partners work closely with Ultium to identify and develop regional training opportunities/programs. According to the company, upon an employment offer, Ultium Cells will provide training to all incoming team members. Training will include overall facility safety procedures, job specific safety requirements, and job-related training.
What type of jobs will be available?
Typical hourly manufacturing positions in the area include Production Associate, Crew Leader, and Maintenance Technician. Examples of salary jobs include Manager, Specialist / Engineer Associate, and Supervisor.
Where will Ultium find workers?
- Ultium Cells is committed to connecting with underserved communities, underemployed workers, reentry programs, church congregations, high school students, post-secondary institutions, neighborhoods, community leaders, and organizations. The Lordstown, OH facility, set to be operational in the next few weeks, had 5,000 applicants with a job acceptance rate of 90%. Approximately 30-40% of the workers are people re-entering the workforce.
- 18,000 residents commute to jobs outside St. Joseph County daily, of which more than 12,400 commute to Elkhart County. Due to current market conditions, we anticipate individuals will prefer to work closer to home, decreasing commute times, travel expenditures, and improving their work-life balance.
Union
It is not up to the company to determine if its employees will be Union, in fact it is illegal for them to do so. Instead, it is up to the employees of the company to make that decision. As the three other Ultium plants are under construction, that has not been decided yet in any of the other three sites. General Motors has a strong relationship with the UAW and supports employees seeking to organize under the National Labor Relations Act. This plant would be owned by Ultium, the joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solutions, and we would expect them to have a similar relationship.
Please visit the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) website for information outlining the process to form a union.
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