UAW announces unionization drive in wake of major auto strike

The United Auto Workers on Wednesday announced that it would mount a unionize drive at major automakers in the wake of a successful strike at Ford, GM, and Stellantis (Chrysler).

UAW announced the strike in September and gradually expanded the walkout from a handful of facilities at the Detroit Three to ultimately see tens of thousands of workers leave their posts before concluding new contracts with each.

The unionization push will focus on 13 automakers, namely BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo, The Hill reported. The union aims to organize more than 150,000 auto workers.

News of the effort drew cheers from labor advocates, including Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who said "[l]et me congratulate the UAW for its new organizing campaign to unionize 150,000 US workers at non-union auto plants owned by companies like Tesla, Nissan, Toyota and BMW. We cannot expand and strengthen the middle class without a vibrant, strong and growing trade union movement."

The UAW's recent successes against the Detroit Three could potentially prove pivotal in rallying new members. 

"After years of cutbacks, months of our Stand Up campaign, and weeks on the picket line, we have turned the tide for the American autoworker. The Stand Up Strike was just the beginning," UAW President Shawn Fain said after the union ratified the contacts. "The UAW is back to setting the standard. Now, we take our strike muscle and our fighting spirit to the rest of the industries we represent, and to millions of non-union workers ready to Stand Up and fight for a better way of life."

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.