Scorching on the heels of the United Auto Employees’ strike victory towards the “Large Three” US automakers, President Joe Biden stated he would assist UAW’s push to unionize Tesla and Toyota forward of a deliberate assembly with UAW president Shawn Fain.
UAW simply completed a historic strike towards GM, Ford, and Stellantis, declaring victory in gaining improved pay and contract provisions for its staff in any respect three corporations.
However in declaring victory, the UAW already put ahead plans for the approaching years, together with a message that implies it desires to unionize extra automakers.
In UAW’s announcement because the strike ended, Fain stated that it plans to return again to the bargaining desk in 2028, on Might 1, in any other case generally known as Might Day or Worldwide Employees’ Day, however that point it “received’t simply be with a Large Three, however with a Large 5 or Large Six.”
The motivation right here is obvious: UAW desires to prepare extra auto corporations within the US.
This instantly advised that there could also be a push to unionize among the giant auto corporations that till now have remained non-unionized. Particularly, Toyota and Tesla come to thoughts.
And now, Biden is planning a gathering with the UAW, and upfront of that assembly, he stated he would assist a push to unionize Toyota and Tesla.
Instantly after the UAW got here to its deal, Toyota introduced that it might elevate pay for non-union auto staff. This can be a clear instance of how union wins can have an effect on a whole sector – and the way non-unionized corporations want to reply to union wins so as to hold expertise from leaping ship to a different firm that provides higher pay and dealing situations.
In a response to Biden’s remarks, Toyota stated it desires to “foster constructive morale,” and that “the choice to unionize is finally made by our crew members.”
Tesla didn’t instantly enhance pay like Toyota did. UAW has pushed to unionize Tesla prior to now, however these efforts bore no fruit and haven’t been lively for a while. However that was below earlier management, so possibly Fain, elected in 2023, desires to make a brand new push to do the identical.
“Employees at Tesla, Toyota, Honda, and others are usually not the enemy – they’re the UAW members of the long run,” Fain stated.
For its half, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated in 2022 that he wouldn’t cease a union vote, however that’s a little bit exhausting to consider, given his previous retaliation towards union efforts. He has not made a press release relating to right this moment’s dedication by Biden.
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