Unionization effort fails at south Sacramento manufacturing plant
A unionization effort at a large, south Sacramento manufacturing plant failed, despite worker complaints about health care costs, wages and heat safety.
About 2,500 people work at the 60-acre Siemens site on French Road, about 1,600 of them in manufacturing. The plant makes light rail cars for local transit agencies, passenger coaches, locomotives and trainsets. Amtrak is a key customer, and the company has been shortlisted by California High-Speed Rail.
Workers at the plant said earlier this week that they had spent more than a year attempting to unionize out of frustration with high health care costs, wages and safety. Two workers said they had delayed medical care due to high copays under the company’s plans, and another said he switched to Covered California, the state’s marketplace program.
The California Federation of Labor Unions said some of the plant’s employees work two or three jobs to make ends meet, and that some work in hot, poorly ventilated spaces.
The company, in response, said it offers best-in-class benefits and complies with Cal-OSHA requirements for heat illness prevention plans. The company said its starting pay rate has risen more than 28% since 2021.
Workers voted 838 to 538 against unionizing in an election Thursday, the company and labor federation confirmed.
The workers attempted to organize under the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 549 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245, in a group called Siemens Workers United.
This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 12:11 PM.
