Lucid Ordered to Pay Fired Workers and Give Back Jobs
Lucid has found itself on the losing end of a dispute with the United Autoworkers Union (UAW). The automaker was recently ordered to pay more than a quarter-million dollars in back pay and reinstate the jobs of at least three workers after the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) ruling on December 31 last year.
The NLRB ordered Lucid to pay $41,363, $45,310, and $171,017 in back pay to three dismissed workers, and it agreed to give them back their jobs. Lucid also received a cease-and-desist order to prevent it from “surveilling its employees in order to discover employees’ union or protected concerted activity.” The NLRB noted also noted some of Lucid’s other union-busting activities in the cease-and-desist order.
UAW President Shawn Fain said, “Every autoworker in America can take heart from this settlement. Lucid is backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the deepest pockets in the world. But Lucid workers stood up and won justice. They showed that no matter how big the challenge, workers can win when they stand together and fight for a better life.”
Despite its deep ties to the Saudi government, Lucid’s roots in America are deeper than many probably expect. The company’s U.S. headquarters is in California, and it operates several storefronts and service centers across the country. Lucid’s second model, the Gravity SUV, is due out soon, but it has so far struggled to gain a foothold with the Air sedan. The car’s impressive range and performance aren’t enough to overcome its stout price tag for many buyers, and it is currently ineligible for federal tax credits, though there’s no telling how much longer they’ll last.
[Images: Lucid]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Fortunately I live in France, and the French almost always buy French made goods. It's shocking how few Chinese made items there are here. The only Chinese cars I see are the MG's, and they are not impressive. And while I love the Lucid, I would never buy one because of Saudi ownership. (And I can't afford one...)
Lucid lost and the employees WON.