Over 30% of Workers at Alabama Hyundai Plant Sign Union Cards, UAW Reports

The United Auto Workers (UAW) has reported that over 30% of workers at Hyundai Motor’s Alabama plant have expressed interest in joining the union, with a significant push also being made to organize non-union autoworkers in the United States. This comes after the UAW successfully secured new contracts with the Detroit Three automakers, prompting efforts to organize workers at several nonunion automakers.

Hyundai issued a statement acknowledging that the decision to be represented by a union is up to the team members at their Alabama facility, emphasizing their commitment to raising U.S. hourly production workers’ wages by 25% by 2028.

Additionally, the UAW revealed that over 10,000 autoworkers across 13 non-union automakers have signed union cards, with plans to make this public once the 30% threshold is reached. UAW President Shawn Fain stated that these efforts extend beyond the auto industry, emphasizing the strong momentum being generated.

With the support of President Joe Biden, the UAW has received backing for its organizing efforts and has outlined the steps it will take as the percentage of workers seeking to join the union increases. These steps involve holding rallies, seeking recognition, and demanding a union representation vote as the threshold climbs.

It is important to note that non-union automakers have taken steps to increase pay for U.S. factory workers in response to the UAW’s organizing efforts, exemplifying the impact that these initiatives have had across the industry. Additionally, past attempts to organize at Nissan and Volkswagen plants have encountered resistance, indicating the challenges that the UAW may face as it continues its drive for union representation.