Detroit, MI Leaders of the UAW reacted today to Judge William Young’s ruling to reverse the cancellation of hundreds of National Institutes of Health grants the agency had recently cut based on claims that they support certain topics including “gender ideology” or “diversity, equity and inclusion”. The UAW, which was a plaintiff in one case, represents more than 120,000 academic workers at higher education institutions across the country, many of whose work and careers were directly impacted by the terminated grants.

These politically motivated attacks jeopardized medical and scientific progress and threatened the jobs of researchers studying climate change, renewable energy, cancer, viral pandemics, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s,” said Brandon Mancilla, Director of UAW Region 9A, which includes New York, Massachusetts and the Northeast. “This decision is poised to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in previously allocated research funding, reanimating labs and workers focused on some of the most pressing health questions we face. We are grateful that this work can now get back on track.”

“Judge Young was right to call these cuts exactly what they are: illegal and discriminatory,” said Mike Miller, Director of UAW Region 6, which covers California, Washington and much of the western U.S. “The research UAW workers perform is essential to the development of technologies and treatments to enhance public health – and we are hopeful that that work is now able to proceed.”

“Not only did these attempted cuts impede lifesaving care for millions of Americans, but delays in treatment are projected to cost the public billions of dollars,” said Tim Smith, Director of UAW Region 8, which includes the National Institutes of Health and much of the mid-Atlantic seaboard. “We thank Judge Young for his decision, and are hopeful that we can now move forward with the research and innovation so many Americans depend on.”

DETROIT, MI — The UAW International Executive Board has elected Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson to serve as Vice President and Director of the Ford Department, succeeding Vice President Chuck Browning, who will retire at the end of this month.

In accordance with Article 10, Section 17 of the UAW Constitution, the vacancy was filled by a majority vote of the International Executive Board. Dickerson was elected to serve in this critical role and will be sworn in when Browning officially vacates the position at the end of the month.

Dickerson currently serves as Director of UAW Region 1A and brings nearly three decades of union experience to her new role. She becomes the first African-American woman to serve as UAW Vice President, continuing a trailblazing legacy of leadership.

“Chuck Browning has set the bar for what it means to fight for working-class people,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “He’s been one of the toughest and most effective negotiators this union has ever seen. When the bosses dug in, Chuck pushed harder. During the Stand Up Strike, he led the charge to kill tiers at Ford, win back COLA, and make the company pay up. He knew our power—and he used it. We’re going to miss his fire at the table, but we know Laura Dickerson brings that same fighting spirit. She’s tough, she’s battle-tested, and she’s grounded in the membership. The Ford Department is in good hands.”

Reflecting on his retirement, Browning said: “It’s been the honor of my life to serve the UAW membership. I cannot express strongly enough the respect and appreciation I have for our members and for those I’ve served with. I have all the confidence in the world that Laura will lead the UAW National Ford Department with strength and integrity. She will do it with the same fire and same heart that has earned her the admiration and support from those that she has served.”

Dickerson pledged to build on the department’s legacy: “I’m proud to take the baton from Chuck and lead the Ford Department at a time when UAW members are demanding more—and winning. We’re not doing business as usual anymore. We’re doing things differently, and it’s working. Our members stood up, took on the Big Three, and showed the world what union power looks like. I’m ready to build on that member-led momentum, fight for even stronger contracts, and make sure every worker has the dignity, respect, and voice they deserve. This union raised me, and I’ll keep fighting every day to raise standards for the entire working class.”

Dickerson was re-elected Director of UAW Region 1A by its membership in December 2022, after first being elected in 2021 to complete the term of Chuck Browning. She was the first African-American woman in UAW history to be elected to the International Executive Board. She was elected as a Regional Director.

A UAW member since 1997 with Local 600, Dickerson has served in elected roles at nearly every level of the union—chairperson, bargaining team member, national negotiator with Ford, staff council vice president, and more.

Chuck Browning has served as UAW Vice President and Director of the Ford Department since July 2021, following his election by the International Executive Board. His decades of leadership have spanned the National Ford Department, Region 1A, and the UAW President’s office, where he served as both Administrative and Top Administrative Assistant. He began his career at the Mazda plant in Flat Rock in 1987 as a member of Local 3000, eventually becoming Plant Chairperson. He will continue bargaining at Volkswagen.

At the 2022 UAW Constitutional Convention, members amended the union’s constitution and bylaws, voting overwhelmingly to adopt a “one member, one vote” system for choosing union leadership and updating the rules for leadership selection. Under the UAW Constitution, vacancies for the five officer positions (president, secretary-treasurer, and three vice presidents) are filled by a vote of the International Executive Board. Vacancies for regional directors are filled at special regional conventions by previously elected delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Per the Consent decree, the Monitor will vet Laura Dickerson prior to being sworn in.

Warren, MI – After nearly two years of organizing, determination, and hard-fought negotiations, UAW Region 1 is proud to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached for approximately 700 Game Presenters (Dealers) at Evolution, one of the largest online gaming platforms in the nation. Evolution services major clients such as BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, and others.

This moment is historic — this is the first-ever online gaming contract in the United States.

From the very beginning, this fight was driven by the strength of the membership and the unwavering leadership of UAW Local 7777 President Terri Sykes, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with these brave workers every step of the way. Their solidarity, combined with the power of the UAW, made the impossible possible.

Since 2022, UAW organizers and Evolution workers faced significant challenges, including multiple legal delays and two separate election processes, one of which was overturned. Through every obstacle, the workers remained united and determined to secure their seat at the bargaining table.

“This is history in the making,” stated LaShawn English, Director of UAW Region 1. “Under the leadership of Local 7777 President Terri Sykes, we were successful in reaching this contract — the first of its kind in online gaming. These workers refused to back down. This victory sets a national precedent that will echo across this growing industry.”

The tentative agreement includes:

  • Substantial wage improvements
  • Stronger job protections
  • Improved working conditions
  • A voice on the job through collective bargaining

A ratification vote will be scheduled in the coming weeks, allowing members to review and vote on the agreement.

Director English added, “This fight proves that the labor movement is expanding into new industries, and no employer — no matter how new, no matter how large — is beyond the reach of workers who demand dignity, respect, and fairness.”

UAW Region 1 will continue to lead the way in securing strong contracts and protecting workers across all sectors.

Spring Hill, TN – In a historic move signaling a shift in the American auto industry, General Motors announced a $4 billion reinvestment across three U.S. plants—including a major investment in its Spring Hill facility in Tennessee. The move brings thousands of good union jobs back to the South and underscores the rising power of autoworkers in a region long written off by corporate America.

“This is a big deal for Spring Hill,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “For decades, corporations offshored jobs and left blue-collar communities behind. But now, because of worker organizing and fair-trade policies like auto tariffs, GM is finally putting money back where it belongs—in union plants, with American workers.”

The UAW has long called for an end to the unfair trade practices that allowed automakers to offshore U.S. jobs, slash wages, and shutter dozens of once-thriving plants. More than 2 million vehicles a year have disappeared from American production lines over the last decade, while factories across Mexico and low-wage regions flourished under an exploitative trade system.

“Southern workers have always had the skill, the pride, and the fight—it’s just the companies that needed to end their race to the bottom,” said UAW Local 1853 President John Rutherford. “This investment in Spring Hill will mean more people with access to great wages and benefits and the protections of a union contract.”

Spring Hill is already home to a growing UAW membership, and workers there played a key role in last year’s Stand Up Strike, which won historic gains in wages and job security.

“Spring Hill has always delivered,” said UAW Local 1853 Chairman Jason Spain. “Now we’re getting the chance to use our extra capacity to build even more. The Blazer’s coming to Spring Hill, and we’re fired up to get to work.”

The UAW continues to call for a broader industrial strategy that includes strong trade protections, enforceable labor standards across borders, and an end to Wall Street-driven profit hoarding. The union’s demands include:

  • Tariffs on imported vehicles and parts to prevent job offshoring.
  • A renegotiated USMCA with a North American minimum wage and enforceable labor rights.
  • Reshoring of the parts supply chain and domestic manufacturing investment.
  • A ban on stock buybacks and greater reinvestment in American workers.

The UAW leaders say this investment by GM is a step in the right direction—but there’s much more work to do. To truly end the race to the bottom, we need enforceable protections for workers both in the U.S. and abroad. That means real rights on the job, the freedom to assemble and organize, and strong unions across borders. Trade policy without labor rights is just corporate welfare—and we won’t settle for that.

General Motors announced yesterday it will invest $4 billion over the next two years across three U.S. plants in Michigan, Kansas, and Tennessee—bringing thousands of good union jobs back to the U.S.

This announcement marks a turning point in the long fight to reverse the damage caused by NAFTA and decades of so-called “free trade.” As auto tariffs help drive the return of production to the U.S., we’re beginning to undo the harm inflicted on blue-collar communities by policies that offshored jobs and gutted local economies.

By raising wages at GM globally, this shift signals the beginning of the end of the race to the bottom—where workers are forced to compete across borders over how little they can survive on, while corporations rake in billions.

“GM’s decision to invest billions in American plants and prioritize U.S. workers is exactly why we spoke up in favor of these auto tariffs,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The writing is on the wall: the race to the bottom is over. We have excess manufacturing capacity at our existing plants, and auto companies can easily bring good union jobs back to the U.S. They can prove the naysayers wrong by investing in our communities and putting workers before corporate greed. GM is showing that it can be done.”

The UAW has long called for an end to the unfair trade practices that allowed automakers to offshore U.S. jobs, slash wages, and shutter dozens of once-thriving plants. More than 2 million vehicles a year have disappeared from American production lines over the last decade, while factories across Mexico and low-wage regions flourished under an exploitative trade system.

“The UAW has always stood up for job security—and we are seeing results. In just the past two months, GM has announced five major investments in American auto plants. That’s no coincidence. Skilled UAW members in Michigan, Kansas, Tennessee, and beyond are the reason GM turns a profit,” said UAW Vice President Mike Booth. “It’s great to see the company reinvest in the union workforce that makes it all possible. Our members show their American Spirit and pride in building the world-class vehicles and components that keep this industry strong—right here at home.”

As the auto industry shifts its supply chains and capital investment back to the U.S., the UAW continues to push for a robust industrial policy:

  • Strong tariffs on imported vehicles and parts to stop the offshoring of jobs.
  • Renegotiation of USMCA, including enforceable labor standards and a North American minimum wage.
  • Reshoring of the auto parts supply chain to ensure American manufacturing up and down the supply chain.
  • Federal support to protect and create good auto jobs, not corporate giveaways.
  • An end to stock buybacks and profit hoarding, so auto companies reinvest in jobs, wages, and U.S. manufacturing instead of enriching executives and Wall Street’s investor class.

Today’s announcement is a clear sign that with the right trade policies and worker-led organizing, the U.S. can rebuild its auto industry to work for working-class Americans—not just Wall Street. The announcement comes on top of GM’s nearly $1 billion investment in Tonawanda Propulsion and its $579 million investment at Flint Engine Operations. The Flint commitment was secured in the union’s 2023 national contract through the membership’s historic Stand Up Strike.

“We’ll work with anyone—Democrat, Republican, or independent—who’s serious about ending the ‘free trade’ disaster and building an economy that respects working-class people,” said Fain. “But let’s be clear: tariffs without worker power just mean bigger paydays for the boss. Tariffs increase profits—but only unions increase wages. Tariffs can protect an industry. Only unions can protect workers.”

This investment is a step in the right direction—but there’s much more work to do. To truly end the race to the bottom, we need enforceable protections for workers both in the U.S. and abroad. That means real rights on the job, the freedom to assemble and organize, and strong unions across borders. Trade policy without labor rights is just corporate welfare—and we won’t settle for that.

Ending offshoring and rebuilding the auto industry also means policies that help the entire working class: a strong National Labor Relations Board, secure retirements through Social Security, guaranteed health care through Medicare and Medicaid, and dignity on and off the job. This is how we ensure today’s gains become tomorrow’s standard—not just for autoworkers, but for all working-class people.

UAW Stellantis Members,

After the previous Stellantis leadership pursued a misguided race-to-the-bottom strategy—leading to plummeting sales and thousands of layoffs—the company is now working to regain its footing. The board has appointed Antonio Filosa, former head of North American operations, as the new CEO. UAW leadership will continue to meet with Filosa to push for honoring commitments to increase investment in American workers.

But we’re not just taking management at its word. We have a responsibility to enforce our contract and ensure our laid-off members are brought back to work. Contract enforcement is strongest when our members are actively involved. You are the first line of defense on the shop floor against any violations of the agreement. That’s why the UAW Stellantis Department regularly updates you on important contractual issues.

If you believe the company is violating the contract, contact your steward or committee person immediately.

Indefinite Layoffs are Decreasing

While we still have a way to go, we’re making real progress in getting our membership back to work. We hit a peak of 3,228 indefinitely laid-off members on February 1. On June 1, we saw that number decrease to 2,425 indefinitely laid-off members. We expect that number to decrease further in the coming months. The company has agreed to backfill an additional 423 vacant positions in June, due to workers taking separation packages (VTEPs and IPRs). That will bring us close to 2,000 indefinitely laid-off workers across Stellantis, a reduction of around 1,200 workers on indefinite layoff. While this progress is meaningful, we know that even a single member on indefinite layoff is one too many. We remain fully committed to using every tool at our disposal to end these layoffs and ensure all our members return to work.

Be Vigilant: Summer Replacements

There has been confusion about the company’s ability to hire summer replacements, while our members are laid-off. The company has posted some ads and held hiring events in certain locations for new, off-the-street hires. Some members are asking whether this is a violation of our contract. Our contract requires the company to recall all laid-off full-time employees on a plant’s recall list and in a plant’s labor market, before hiring new full-time employees (M-16). However, the company is currently able to bring on new temporary part-time employees, if there is no business need for a full-time position. We need to make sure that the company follows our agreement. If you know of any new full-time hires, please notify a union representative immediately, as we will want to take swift action.

Welcome New UAW Members at Stellantis StarPlus Battery Plant

Welcome to our new UAW sisters and brothers at StarPlus, the Stellantis Battery Joint Venture with Samsung, in Kokomo. Our 2023 agreement brought these battery workers under our Stellantis master agreement for the first time ever and they just successfully completed the card check process to join UAW Local 1166. Let’s give these 400 plus workers a warm welcome to the UAW. We are all stronger when every Stellantis worker negotiates under one master agreement, so it’s important for all of us that StarPlus is now part of the UAW.

Update on Dundee Temporary Layoff

Due to the length of the temporary layoff at Dundee Engine, healthcare coverage expired for 238 workers who were temporarily laid-off at Dundee. The Stellantis Department successfully negotiated the reinstatement of these benefits for the affected members, beyond what was contractually required during a temporary layoff. We are in regular communication with Stellantis about Dundee and are pressing the company to finish their retooling, while ensuring that the health and safety of our members is the top priority.

Belvidere Reopening Progress

As part of the process of bringing Belvidere Assembly back online, we have learned that the company has selected a lead launch coordinator. They have also started to select launch coordinators for various departments. The company is having teams walk through the plant to determine what work will need to be done by Skilled Trades prior to opening. This is positive news that shows that plans to reopen the plant are moving ahead. We will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that we are on track and the contract is followed.

Our strength as a union comes from our membership. We appreciate you staying informed about these important issues and helping us enforce our contract.

In solidarity,

Kevin Gotinsky

Director, UAW Stellantis Department

Download the full letter:

In Detroit, UAW members and their families stand ready to knock doors, make calls, and turn out strong for the mayor’s race

Media must RSVP by Friday, June 6 at 5 p.m. ET: UAW.us/KinlochLaunchMedia


DETROIT—
UAW members from Detroit will rally with President Shawn Fain and Rev. Solomon Kinloch—the union’s endorsed candidate for mayor and a former UAW Local 235 member. In May, the UAW endorsed Rev. Kinloch, a proud son of a UAW family, for his lifelong advocacy for working people and bold vision for an inclusive Detroit. Regions 1 and 1A, which cover the city, will lead a major turnout push to help elect him.

WHO: UAW President Shawn Fain, Rev. Solomon Kinloch, UAW Region 1 Director LaShawn English, UAW Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson and hundreds of UAW members

WHAT: Rally celebrating the UAW’s endorsement of Rev. Kinloch for Detroit mayor

WHERE: UAW Solidarity House, 8000 E. Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48214

WHEN: Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m.

The UAW firmly stands with Rev. Kinloch’s campaign message: as Detroit has made a comeback, far too many working-class families are still left behind.

Rev. Kinloch shares the UAW’s understanding that the revival of the city means nothing if it doesn’t reach everyone. He has stood in solidarity with UAW members time and again—including walking the picket line with UAW Local 900 members and feeding strikers and their families during their recent strike—proving that he doesn’t just talk about economic justice; he lives it.

The UAW is the largest union in Michigan with over 350,000 active and retired members. In the City of Detroit, UAW members and their household family members are over 120,000 strong. The UAW is ready to be a difference-maker in this election, with members of both the union and Rev. Kinloch’s church ready to knock doors, make calls, and turn out in force in Detroit’s mayor’s race.

Media must RSVP by Friday, June 6 at 5 p.m. ET: UAW.us/KinlochLaunchMedia

NEW YORK—Today, the UAW released a new video highlighting the failures of Andrew Cuomo as Governor of New York for working-class people and communities across the state. On Friday, UAW Region 9A endorsed Zohran Mamdani #1 for mayor along with a full ballot suggestion including explicit instructions to not rank Andrew Cuomo. UAW was the first union to endorse Mamdani and has been explicit in Cuomo’s failures for working people.

“In the UAW, our endorsements are earned,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “We support politicians who stand with us, and who have the courage to fight for the working class.

“Zohran Mamdani has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in our fight against some of the toughest bosses in New York City. He’s been to countless UAW picket lines. He’s fought for better wages, for our livelihoods, and for a livable city for UAW members.

“We need new elected leaders who are not afraid to pick a side—politicians who will put workers over corporate donors every single time. That’s why our union is proud to support Zohran Mamdani and a ranked slate of pro-worker champions for mayor.”

The video can be accessed in full here and is free for use by the media.  

In 2019, UAW was the driving force behind the passage of a bill providing unemployment benefits for striking workers in the New York State legislature. Later that year, while waiting for then-Governor Cuomo to sign the bill into law, UAW members at General Motors went on a six-week strike. Instead of being able to access the benefits the legislature granted, UAW members were left in the lurch by Cuomo, who not only refused to sign the bill during the strike to provide immediate relief for the members, but also refused to visit the picket line in solidarity.

“We can’t trust politicians who got us into the current mess to lead us out,” said UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla. “Especially when they refused to support striking workers when they needed help the most.

“20,000 UAW members in New York City know that they can stand up for a future in New York and reject the corruption and cronyism of Andrew Cuomo. We can fight for a future that includes a rent freeze, fast and free busses, and universal childcare. We have an alternative for working people on June 24 by ranking Zohran Mamdani #1 and our ranked choice slate.”

In 2023, when UAW members engaged in the historic Stand Up Strike, with the support of nearly every politician and 80% of Americans, Cuomo again was nowhere to be seen. Unlike the UAW’s endorsed slate of candidates for New York City Mayor, who have all shown up to countless picket lines in support of workers over the last decade, Andrew Cuomo has shown up to fewer picket lines than JD Vance.

Full transcript of the UAW’s new video about Cuomo’s anti-labor record here: 

UAW Local 1097 President (Rochester) Dan Maloney:

I’m sure other speakers will talk about the 15,000 seniors that died in New York State nursing homes due to Covid and the serious missteps of the Cuomo administration. I’m not here to talk about that.

I’m sure other speakers will discuss the multiple sexual harassment charges brought against former governor Cuomo, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about, either.

I’m here to tell you that when the United Auto Workers needed Governor Cuomo’s help, he turned his back on us.

UAW Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla:

Our members want a better, safer, and more affordable city. Someone who passes up the opportunity to support workers in a time of crisis, that person is unfit to be mayor of working class New Yorkers.

UAW Region 9 CAP Director (Tonawanda) Wence Valentin III:

Our membership across the country went out on strike in September of 2019 against GM. UAW Region 9 and 9A worked hard, lobbied the state legislature to get a bill passed that would ensure that unemployment would come after one week.

Cuomo, as governor, had the chance to sign that bill into law. Not only did he not sign that bill into law, he never stepped foot on any of our strike lines. Let me repeat that. He never stepped foot on any of our strike lines. Cuomo was absent and ignored every one of our calls. This is a man who wants you all to believe he supports labor.

Zohran Mamdani:

We’re talking about a man who created tier six, which took more than $100,000 out of the pockets of working class public sector workers. A man who I just saw for the first time in my life just last week, describing tier six as ancient history.

The only thing that’s ancient history is Andrew Cuomo.

Brad Lander:

Enough with the corruption. Enough with the chaos. Enough with the yielding to corporate bosses. Let’s elect a mayor who works for working New Yorkers.

Dan Maloney:

When we needed Andrew Cuomo, Cuomo showed cowardice. So New Yorkers… Don’t get fooled again.

For more than 55 years, the Family Education Center has been where UAW members and their families come together for an experience combining education and recreation.

It’s a place to learn about our union, unlock ideas, and build new friendships with other UAW families. This one-week summer experience will give you and your family a spirit guaranteed to strengthen your understanding and appreciation of our union.

Since 1970, thousands of UAW members and their families have participated in the Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center Scholarship Program (Family Scholarship or Family Scholarship Program) – changing their lives and those of their loved ones forever.

Located in scenic Onaway, Michigan, on Black Lake, the Family Education Center was envisioned by legendary UAW President Walter Reuther to be a place where UAW members and their families could come together to learn and have fun.

Through educational and recreational activities, the Family Scholarship Program allows adults and children to learn and think about how our union empowers us to change our workplaces and communities for ourselves and future generations.

These lessons are learned through daily adult and children’s programs and family activities.

Applications must be completed and submitted by Friday, June 6, 2025.

WHO: All active or laid-off members in good standing
WHERE: Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center
Onaway, Michigan
WHEN: July 20-25, 2025

 

TONAWANDA, NY– Yesterday, General Motors announced an additional $888 million investment in its Tonawanda Propulsion plant. For months, union leaders have been in active discussions with GM to advocate for increased investment in its UAW facilities. The investment will support the company’s next generation V-8 engines which are used in full-size trucks and SUVs.

“This enormous investment is exactly what we’ve been calling for,” said UAW Vice President Mike Booth. “Skilled UAW members, like members of UAW Local 774, make GM’s profits, so it’s great to see the company investing back into its union workforce so we can keep building quality, world-class products.”

“It’s time for Ford and Stellantis to learn from GM,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “GM is showing that it makes good business sense for major corporations to reverse course on the destructive race-to-the-bottom trade policies that have wreaked havoc on workers and destroyed blue-collar towns and cities across America.”

The announcement comes on top of GM’s $579 million investment to build the same V-8 engine at Flint Engine Operations, represented by UAW Local 659. That earlier commitment in Flint was secured in the union’s 2023 national contract through the membership’s historic Stand Up Strike.