The United Auto Workers (UAW) union has announced a new campaign to organize over 150,000 employees across 13 automakers in the United States, in a move that could dramatically expand the union’s membership and influence across the auto industry.
UAW Targets Major Car Companies Lacking Union Presence
The organizing effort unveiled on November 28th takes aim at prominent car makers that have no union presence in the U.S., including Tesla, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Volkswagen, Honda, and Hyundai. If successful, it would pave the way for UAW to represent workers at factories from California to South Carolina.
UAW President Ray Curry stated that the goal is to raise wages and improve working conditions at all auto plants, drawing a contrast with the $120 billion in profits recently reported by major automakers.
"It’s time workers have a voice and can sit at the bargaining table to negotiate for better wages, benefits and job security," said Curry. "Too many workers are being left behind."
| Automaker | Estimated U.S. Employees | Key Facilities Targeted |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla | 49,000 | Fremont, CA; Austin, TX; Buffalo, NY |
| Toyota | 36,000 | Kentucky, Indiana, Texas, Mississippi |
| Nissan | 23,000 | Tennessee, Mississippi |
| BMW | 11,000 | South Carolina |
| Honda | 18,000 | Ohio, Indiana, Alabama |
| Hyundai/Kia | 8,100 | Alabama, Georgia |
| Volkswagen | 3,000 | Tennessee |
The UAW currently represents over 400,000 active members, having organized employees at Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, and some parts suppliers. If organizing efforts prove successful, membership could nearly double to over 850,000 people – restoring levels last seen in the 1970’s.
This would mark the union’s largest organizing push since failed efforts to unionize Nissan and Volkswagen workers in the South over the past decade. Industry experts see the new campaign as an ambitious gamble, with UAW looking to leverage recent contract wins in Detroit to build momentum.
UAW Focuses Efforts on Non-Union Southern Plants
A key battleground is expected to be foreign automaker plants across Southern states like Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Alabama. Over the past three decades, BMW, Nissan, Volkswagen, Toyota and others have opened factories in Southern states without union presence.
Experts note that organizing efforts face major hurdles, given past anti-union stances by automakers. BMW has defended its company culture and pay rates in the past as reasons for workers to avoid unionizing. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has aggressively fought union drives at the company’s factories.
However, industry dynamics and economic uncertainty may aid UAW’s push this time around. With high inflation and a risk of recession, workers face cost-of-living squeezes and anxiety over job security. UAW is betting that economic fears and pent-up frustrations may motivate more employees to vote for unionization.
UAW Secretary-Treasurer Frank Stuglin stated, "With our recent organizing victories, workers from across the industry are reaching out to us and saying they need our help."
The union drive also comes as automakers face pressure to invest in American manufacturing due to policies like the Inflation Reduction Act. As companies ramp up U.S. plants to meet electric vehicle production goals over the coming decade, UAW hopes to grow in parallel.
Legal Pressure Adds Urgency to UAW’s Goals
In the background, UAW is still recovering from a multi-year federal corruption investigation that revealed graft and embezzlement at the highest levels and lead to over a dozen convictions. Despite avoiding a federal takeover, UAW remains under a six-year court oversight deal to reform leadership practices and financial controls.
Industry experts state that UAW sees quick membership growth as a path to regain stability and credibility after the scandals. “They almost have no choice but to pull something like this off,” said Kristin Dziczek of the Center for Automotive Research.
UAW also faces demographic challenges, as older members working at Detroit 3 plants begin to retire in greater numbers. Younger tech-savvy workers in Southern plants have shown more hesitation about unions to date.
"Our goal is to always improve wages, benefits and job protections for members who already enjoy union benefits – while also giving a voice to the thousands of members who are saying they want the opportunity to negotiate…this is how we plan to build a stronger UAW," stated UAW’s Frank Stuglin about the membership push.
Uncertain Path Ahead With Fierce Industry Resistance
While ambitious in scale, experts note that union drives typically face years of legal delays and strong corporate resistance. Past efforts have seen companies utilize mandatory anti-union meetings, along with warnings about how collective bargaining could backfire and worsen work conditions. Other tactics have included social media campaigns and one-on-one supervisor meetings.
Industry observers expect a similar bruising fight this time as well across multiple factories and states. With past unions drives costing tens of millions of dollars, UAW will likely require major financial support from its national strike fund if local plant fights drag on.
BMW, Toyota and other automakers targeted issued brief statements defending their company cultures and denying the need for unions. "We don’t believe that uaw representation is in the best interests of our associates," stated a Toyota spokesperson.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk had an even more pointed reaction on Twitter to news of UAW’s organizing goals: "The UAW can try to unionize Tesla, but they will fail like last time!" Musk has a long history of anti-union stances and actions that organizers must overcome at Tesla plants.
UAW officials stated they are braced for difficult battles but plan to persist no matter how long it takes. “Winning these union elections is very tough and doesn’t happen overnight,” acknowledged UAW’s Ray Curry. “But workers want real power, not just empty promises.”
With UAW now mobilizing organizers nationwide, a tense showdown appears guaranteed as the union engages in a state-by-state war of attrition to grow its ranks across the auto industry. Expect more news in the coming months as union drives at key factories heat up.
What Are the Implications If UAW Succeeds?
If UAW succeeds in organizing tens of thousands of members across new automakers over the next several years, it could have wide-ranging impacts:
- UAW would gain leverage and bargaining power it hasn’t had in decades, as membership rolls swell to heights not seen since the 1970’s
- Union contracts could raise wages, improve retirement benefits, enhance job security protections and influence safety standards across the industry
- Organizing costs and potential strike impacts could cut into automaker profits and productivity if negotiations turn contentious
- UAW’s political influence could grow in parallel with membership gains, as millions more in union dues bolster lobbying and campaign contributions
- Union drives may inspire parallel efforts to organize tech workers in industries like aerospace and agriculture where organizing is difficult today
With all the marbles now on the table, UAW is gearing up for messy multi-front fight that will shape power dynamics across the auto sector for years to come. Stay tuned as this epochal struggle plays out.
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