Honda has been accused by the National Labor Relations Board of violating the rights of workers at a Greensburg, Indiana, factory by illegally cracking down on union organizing, an agency spokeswoman said on Thursday.
The board’s general counsel issued a complaint on Tuesday claiming that Honda forced workers to remove United Auto Workers (UAW) stickers from their safety helmets, unlawfully surveilled employees and threatened to discipline union supporters, according to the spokeswoman, Kayla Blado.
A copy of the complaint was not immediately available.
The Japanese automaker is accused of violating U.S. labor law, which protects workers’ ability to engage in union organizing and advocate for better working conditions. If Honda does not settle the claims, an administrative judge will hold a hearing in October, Blado said.
The judge’s ruling can be reviewed by the five-member NLRB, whose decisions can be appealed to federal appeals courts.
Honda did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When the UAW filed a complaint against Honda with the board in December, the company said it “encourages our associates to engage and get information on this issue. We have not and would not interfere with our associates’ right to engage in activity supporting or opposing the UAW.”
The campaign at the Greensburg factory, which has more than 2,400 employees, is part of a broader nationwide effort by the UAW to organize workers at auto plants that have long resisted unionizing.
The union last month lost an election to represent nearly 5,000 workers at a Mercedes plant in Alabama. The UAW has asked the board to order a new election, accusing the luxury car maker of various violations of workers’ rights.
The UAW has also filed complaints with the NLRB accusing Hyundai and Volkswagen of illegally interfering with union campaigns. Those companies have denied wrongdoing and said they respect workers’ rights to choose whether to join unions.
The case is Honda Development and Manufacturing of America, National Labor Relations Board, No. 25-CA-331556.
