"The UAW has your back:" Shawn Fain talks expanding membership to non-union autoworkers

CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for Dec. 11, 2023

(CBS DETROIT) - United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain says he met with several non-union autoworkers after workers at Honda, Hyundai and Volkswagen accused the companies of illegal union-busting.

Fain livestreamed an update on Monday, Dec. 11, saying the union filed a federal complaint against the three foreign automakers, accusing them of unfair labor practices. However, he said the UAW is supporting all autoworkers at non-union companies.

"Our message to workers is simple: The UAW has your back. And our message to the companies is clear: An attack on a worker anywhere is an attack on workers everywhere," Fain said. "If you come after one autoworker, you're coming after all of us. This is a national movement of autoworkers fighting for autoworkers."  

More than 1,000 workers at VW's factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, signed cards authorizing a vote on representation by UAW. 

According to the UAW, workers accused management of harassing and threatening them, even confiscating and destroying pro-union materials in the break room. 

Additionally, Honda workers accused management of targeting them for pro-union activity at the Greensburg, Indiana, plant. The union also claims management at Hyundai's Montgomery, Alabama plant unlawfully prohibited pro-union materials in non-work areas during non-work times.

Fain said they received messages from non-workers during the UAW strike against Detroit's Big Three.

"Our stand-up strike gave [non-union workers] hope. What we've seen and the outpouring of interest and support among non-union workers is that victory is contagious," Fain said. "In my 30 years at the UAW, I've never seen anything like it."

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.