An Arizona judge has issued a temporary injunction against luxury electric vehicle maker Lucid over the company’s decision to terminate two employees who had attempted to form a union in the company’s AZ plant. The petition against Lucid was filed by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board in Arizona District Court.
As per the petition, former Lucid employees Amie Begay and Chad Brewer had initiated efforts to form a union at the luxury electric vehicle maker, with the pair ramping their efforts by distributing leaflets in bathrooms and break areas at the EV maker’s AZ plant. Lucid management reportedly responded by eavesdropping on conversations and throwing away union literature, among other actions.
Begay and Brewer were ultimately terminated by Lucid. As per Begay, she was terminated for “clocking in earlier than when she entered” and “clocking out two hours after she left the facility on November 8, 2022,” which happened to be an election day, as noted in a CarScoops report. An affidavit from Brewer, who was terminated on the same day as Begay, noted that he had “many of the same experiences.”
In her temporary injuction, AZ District Judge Diane J. Humetewa noted that Lucid was aware of the two employees’ unionization efforts. The judge also noted that it is quite easy for the court to find that the two former Lucid employees were discharged based, in part, because of the luxury electric vehicle maker’s anti-union stance.
“Ms. Begay and Mr. Brewer were terminated a day after engaging in protected activity and a discharge within days of protected activity is ‘strongly probative of animus.’ It is easy for this Court to conclude that these actions, and their timing in relation to Ms. Begay’s and Mr. Brewer’s union activities, demonstrate that both were terminated by Respondent due to anti-union animus,” Judge Humetewa wrote.
UAW President Shawn Fain, who is currently under investigation by a court-appointed watchdog, celebrated the judge’s order. “Workers at Lucid, and autoworkers everywhere, won justice. This decision tells rogue employers like Lucid that they won’t get away with attacking workers,” Fain stated.
AZ Judge Diane J. Humetewa’s order can be viewed below.
Lucid Anti-Union Order by Simon Alvarez
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