The United Auto Workers (UAW) is hoping to expand its membership by organizing the U.S. factories of non-unionized automakers. The organization recently announced a drive to organize the U.S. plants of Toyota, Tesla, Honda, and other non-unionized automakers. According to the UAW, thousands of workers at the non-unionized companies have already contacted the union in recent weeks, showing an interest in signing union authorization cards.
The UAW hopes to capitalize on the record contracts it negotiated with Detroit’s Big Three automakers, which include wage increases of at least 25 percent over 4½ years, higher retirement account contributions, and more paid time off. The union has unveiled a website where workers at 13 different companies can sign union authorization cards in a first step toward attempting to organize their factories.
However, the UAW faces a difficult battle, as many of the factories it hopes to organize are located in southern states where local laws, politics, and culture make it harder for unions to organize. Many of the non-unionized companies have given their U.S. workers double-digit pay increases in recent weeks as an attempt to ward off any unionization drive.
Despite these challenges, UAW President Shawn Fain is encouraging workers to stand up for better pay and benefits. The UAW said workers at the non-unionized factories were helping to organize the campaign, which will target 150,000 employees across the companies.
The UAW’s efforts come amid a growing movement of workplace activism, as workers across a variety of industries strike and agitate for better pay and benefits. Despite the challenges, the UAW is aiming for a high level of card-signing to bolster its campaign, in the hopes of expanding its membership.