“Unionizing Big Three: Thousands of Auto Workers Stand United in UAW Victory!

For decades, the labor movement in America has faced an uphill battle against the powerful forces of multi-national corporations. However, in a significant milestone for the movement, auto workers at Toyota, Honda and other manufacturers have followed the lead of their peers at the Big Three auto manufacturers and begun a concerted effort to unionize. The effort began last December, when workers at Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler approved collective bargaining agreements with the United Auto Workers (UAW) after months of protracted negotiations. This move inspired workers at the non-unionized Toyota, Honda, and other automotive supplier plants to get organized. In the last several months, workers from a variety of manufacturers, such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, and parts suppliers have voted overwhelmingly in their respective locations to join forces to fight for better pay and benefits. This movement is part of a broader effort to organize the entire auto industry. These efforts have been met with some resistance from the manufacturers. In some cases, employers have exerted pressure on workers to not organize, while in other cases they have resorted to tactics like hiring professional labor consultants to discourage workers from unionizing. However, the unionization drive remains strong, and experts expect to see further growth in the coming weeks. Supporters of the labor movement recognize that this could lead to a system of collective bargaining power that could ultimately benefit workers nationwide. The UAW has recognized the value of these efforts and has already set its sights on expanding their union’s reach to additional plants. This could have far reaching effects on wages, benefits, and other measures which have been neglected in the non-unionized auto industry. The benefits that could be won from these efforts could be far-reaching and have the potential to benefit not only the workers in the auto industry, but workers in other industries as well. Once unionized, workers would be able to collectively bargain for better wages and benefits, as well as better working conditions and job security. These collective bargaining efforts could potentially strengthen the labor movement nationwide, bringing much needed job security and economic opportunity to a workforce that has been neglected for far too long. It is certainly encouraging that workers have mobilized to gain collective power and are working towards creating a better working environment for everyone.