UAW Targets Lucid, Rivian, Tesla and 10 Foreign Automakers for Unionization
The United Auto Workers union has announced its next goal to unionize factory workers at Lucid, Rivian, Tesla, and 10 foreign automakers. This move comes after the union successfully secured new employment contracts from Detroit's Big Three automakers.
The foreign automakers on the UAW's list include BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Mazda, Mercedes, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. While these companies are based overseas, they all have manufacturing operations in the United States. UAW President Shawn Fain stated in a video released on Wednesday that these companies have generated billions of dollars in profit over the past decade, and therefore, their hourly factory workers deserve higher wages.
In addition to the foreign automakers, the UAW is also targeting U.S. factories run by electric vehicle sales leader Tesla, as well as EV startups Rivian and Lucid. Fain urged autoworkers without union benefits to join the UAW's membership drive campaign.
Tesla and the other automakers targeted by the UAW have predominantly employed non-unionized workers at their plants. The union's campaign will primarily focus on factories in the South, where the UAW has had limited success in recruiting new members. Currently, the UAW has approximately 146,000 members.
Non-Unionized Workers Show Interest in Joining UAW After Pay Raises
Following the recent ratification of pay raises for employees at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, thousands of non-unionized workers have expressed their desire to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) organization. The UAW has reported that Toyota's assembly complex in Georgetown, Kentucky, which employs 7,800 workers, is among the factories showing the strongest interest in unionizing. However, a Toyota spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.
This surge in interest comes after a series of strikes lasting six weeks at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis factories. The strikes concluded with new contracts, which will result in a 33% increase in pay for top assembly plant workers by April 2028. The new contracts also abolished certain lower wage tiers, provided raises for temporary workers, and shortened the time it takes for full-time workers to reach the top of the pay scale.
