UAW Commits $40 Million To Unionize Entire U.S. Auto And EV Battery Sector

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It’s been several months since the United Auto Workers (UAW) union secured landmark contracts with GM, Ford, and Stellantis and over the coming two years, it plans to unionize at a host of other car manufacturing plants and EV battery factories.

In November, the UAW launched an ambitious campaign to organize the entire non-union automotive sector in the U.S., initiating campaigns at Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Tesla, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Subaru, Volkswagen, Mazda, Rivian, Lucid, and Volvo. Earlier this week, the UAW said it will spend $40 million over the next two years to unionize the factories of these manufacturers.

“In the next few years, the electric vehicle battery industry is slated to add tens of thousands of jobs across the country, and new standards are being set as the industry comes online,” the UAW said in a statement. “These jobs will supplement, and in some cases largely replace, existing powertrain jobs in the auto industry. Through a massive new organizing effort, workers will fight to maintain and raise the standard in the emerging battery industry.”

The union says its International Executive Board voted to commit the funds following the growth in organizing activity at non-union auto and battery factories in the U.S.

Read: VW Chattanooga On Verge Of Unionization After UAW Secures Majority Support

While we’re less than two months into 2024, movement is already being seen. A majority of workers at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee recently signed cards to join the UAW. This factory employs over 4,000 workers. The UAW is also making progress at Hyundai’s plant in Montgomery, Alabama, with more than 30% of workers already signing union support cards as they seek to get their fair share of the $13.5 billion in pretax profits the company made last year.

Plenty of Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama are also eager to join the UAW. More than 30% of employees have signed union cards in recent weeks.