The president of Unifor Local 444 feels the ownership change at NextStar Energy is positive news for the workforce.
Speaking on AM800's The Kyle Horner Show, James Stewart believes the change will bring more stability for workers at the plant.
On Friday, it was announced that LG Energy Solution will acquire full ownership of NextStar Energy, with Stellantis selling its 49 per cent equity stake to LG Energy Solution.
The two companies established a joint venture in 2022 to build NextStar, Canada's first large-scale electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility.
Stewart feels the plant will really bloom.
"This move really allows the company to do a lot of things that they couldn't do before, and I think long-term this is going to be a good move," says Stewart. "It's making sure that now it's in place, it's making sure it's adapting to change. They're not slow on their decisions. They're making decisions decisively and quickly and then making the changes on the floor to make sure they're meeting what potentially they need in the future. It's smart management."
He says workers at the plant are working for a company that is changing based on the environment around them.
"They don't wait; they're committed to Canada," says Stewart. "When the EVs slowed down, they didn't lay off; in fact, they changed their business and kept growing, and that's important. When you have a company that's doing that and investing in employing Canadians in an industry that's new to Canada, I think it's a good thing."
Under the new ownership structure, NextStar Energy will leverage LG Energy Solution's technological leadership and global operational expertise to better serve a broader customer base, including the Energy Storage System (ESS) industry, and respond with greater agility to market conditions and demand to pursue future growth opportunities.
The company employs over 1,300 workers at the 4.23 million-square-foot facility, with a long-term target of 2,500 employees as it scales to full production at the $5 billion plant.
The union says workers will continue to work under the current collective agreement.
The agreement is set to expire this July.