Thousands of autoworkers at Toyota, Honda and others move to unionize after UAW victory over the Big Three
The victory of the United Auto Workers (UAW) against the Big Three – Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler – has seen a surge of interest in unionizing from workers in other automakers, such as Toyota, Honda and Nissan.
Thousands of autoworkers have sought to join the UAW following the passage of unions at three major factories of the Big Three: GM, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler. The workers are being drawn to the union’s promises of better wages, benefits and working conditions.
The unionization efforts have been concentrated in the South where many foreign automakers have set up shop in recent decades. In Mississippi, where Nissan’s U.S. headquarters are based, hundreds of workers have signed cards expressing interest in unionizing. In Kentucky, Toyota, Lexus and Lincoln workers are organizing, and in Georgia, many Honda workers are actively trying to unionize.
The push for unionization has been driven by the UAW, which has made forming a union among foreign automakers a priority. The UAW has set up regional organizing offices for the Southern states and has worked to educate workers about the advantages of belonging to a union.
The efforts are being aided by the increased interest of young workers in the labor movement. The wave of young autoworkers, many of whom grew up in non-union households, has been a major factor in the campaign to unionize, pushing the issue to the forefront of the conversation among their peers and in their communities.
It remains to be seen whether these efforts will succeed, but the recent victory of the UAW over the Big Three has encouraged many autoworkers to join the fight for better wages and working conditions.