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Kamala Harris and Tim Walz Meet with UAW Members, Leaders, at UAW Local 900 in Wayne, Michigan

WAYNE, MI – Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz joined UAW members and leaders at UAW Local 900’s union hall in Wayne, Michigan, to discuss the issues that matter to working class people in this election. 

Local 900 represents thousands of members at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, one of the three original Stand Up Strike locals that walked out on September 15, 2023. These members were the leading edge of a strike that brought Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis to the bargaining table and agree to record contracts for 150,000 Big Three autoworkers. 

“I am so deeply honored as a lifelong supporter of union labor, for Tim and I to have the endorsement of the UAW,” Vice President Kamala Harris said. “When you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. We stand for the people. We stand for the dignity of work. We stand for justice. We stand for equality. And we will fight for all of it.” 

“Thank you for the privilege of walking the picket line with you last year and thank you for allowing us to lift up our voices,” Governor Tim Walz told UAW members in attendance. “The work that you did didn’t just benefit UAW workers – it benefited all workers. So, I couldn’t be prouder to be on this stage and couldn’t be prouder to stand with the UAW.” 

“At the end of the day, we all know that we rise and fall together,” Local 900 President Dwayne Walker said. “And that’s why we need to be involved in this process. It’s now or never. We may never have this chance again. We need to be together, and we have to be proactive.”

“We wanted to let Vice President Harris know we got her back,” Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson said. “We’re proud that she stopped by to see us here in Wayne, Michigan. We know she’s with us because she understands that all UAW members want is to make an honest living, feed our families, and put our kids through college.” 

“I’m very proud, on behalf of the UAW, to welcome Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz to our house – to labor’s house,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “This election is about a choice, about whether we continue forward or whether we go backward. This is a ‘which side are you on moment,’ and the choice cannot be any clearer.” 

The UAW International Executive Board voted to endorse Kamala Harris last week, citing her record of standing with the UAW and working class people, opposing anti-worker trade deals, and taking on corporate greed.  

On Wednesday, thousands of UAW members joined tens of thousands of Michiganders in welcoming the Harris-Walz ticket to the state, building a movement to win for the working class in November and beyond. 

Photo of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at the UAW Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI on August 8, 2024.
Photo of Vice President Kamala Harris at the UAW Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, on August 8, 2024.
Photo of Vice President Kamala Harris at the UAW Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, on August 8, 2024.
Photo of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at the UAW Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, on August 8, 2024.
Photo of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaking at the UAW Local 900 union hall on August 8, 2024.
Photo of Vice President Kamala Harris at the UAW Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW Region 1A Director Laura Dickerson (far left) and UAW President Shawn Fain (middle, blue shirt) addressing the media at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, during Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz's visit on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
Photo of Vice President Kamala Harris shaking hands with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as UAW President Shawn Fain looks on.
Photo of UAW members at the Local 900 union hall in Wayne, MI, to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz on August 8, 2024.
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“Everything the Working Class Has Ever Won, We’ve Had to Fight for”: UAW Releases New Video Endorsing Kamala Harris for President

DETROIT – The UAW released a new video today endorsing Kamala Harris for President of the United States. The video highlights the stark contrast between the candidates: Donald Trump, who is a scab and a lapdog for the billionaires, and Kamala Harris, who has stood with working people and walked a picket line. The media is invited to use the video on the union’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account.

UAW President Shawn Fain narrates, “Whether at the workplace, or at the ballot box, we’re done falling behind. We’re ready to stand up.”

“In 2024, we’ve got a choice. We can put a billionaire back in office and let him and his buddies get even richer. Or we can elect somebody who’s ready to stand with us. Somebody who’s walked a picket line.”

On Wednesday, the UAW International Executive Board voted to endorse Kamala Harris for President, and will join Harris for a mass rally in Detroit on Wednesday, August 7th, with a visit with UAW members to follow.

The video’s full transcript is available here:

Look around you. 
We live in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. 
We’ve got enough food for every plate. 
Enough doctors for every patient. 
And enough jobs for every family. 
So why do working class Americans have to scrape to get by paycheck to paycheck? 

Everything the working class has ever won, we’ve had to fight for. 
And every time we win an inch, the billionaires want to take back a mile. 
Whether at the workplace, or at the ballot box. 
We’re done falling behind. We’re ready to stand up. 
And we need a President who’s ready to stand with us.

In 2024, we’ve got a choice. 
We can put a billionaire back in office  
and let him and his buddies get even richer. 

Or we can elect somebody who’s ready to stand with us. 
Somebody who’s walked a picket line. 
Somebody who’s on our side. 

We know which side we’re on. 
We’re voting for Kamala Harris in 2024 
Because she’s walked the walk. 
Because she supports working class people when we fight for more. 
And because we don’t need another billionaire in the White House. 
Donald Trump is no friend of the working class. 
Donald Trump is a scab.
I’m a UAW member, and I’m voting for Kamala Harris for President.

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UAW Solidarity Statement with Striking GM Workers in Brazil

The UAW stands in solidarity with striking auto workers at the General Motors assembly plant in São José dos Campos, Brazil. Workers at the facility are protesting the company’s recent unjust layoffs and retaliatory firings, decisions that were made in the name of corporate greed.

Workers at the facility, who are represented by the Metalworkers Union of São José dos Campos, have conducted two strikes since last Friday. They are demanding the reinstatement of 50 workers laid off by GM last week. They are also demanding job security and the opening of the Voluntary Dismissal Program if layoffs are inevitable.

What’s been made evidently clear by these arbitrary decisions is that GM is attempting to union-bust and cut labor costs at a time when the company is raking in billions of dollars. GM amassed over $10 billion in profits in 2023 alone. The company looks poised to have an even stronger year in 2024.

“This type of behavior by General Motors is unnecessary and unconscionable,” said UAW Vice President Mike Booth. “There is absolutely no reason why this corporation should be cutting jobs that will so negatively affect the lives of its workers and the local community at a time of record profits. The UAW is committed to supporting these brave workers and the Metalworkers Union in any way we can.”

The GM São José dos Campos plant produces the Trailblazer and S10 models, as well as engines and transmissions. The automaker employs around 3,150 workers in the city.

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UAW Endorses Kamala Harris for President Ahead of Mass Rally in Detroit

On Wednesday, July 31, the UAW International Executive Board voted to endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States. Her historic candidacy builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s proven track record of standing with the UAW and delivering major gains for the working class.  

Years before the Stand Up Strike, Kamala Harris walked the picket line with striking autoworkers in 2019, has taken on corporate price-gouging and profiteering, and has spoken out and voted against unfair trade deals that hurt the American worker like NAFTA and NAFTA 2.0, the USMCA.  

On Wednesday, August 7th, the Harris for President campaign will come to Detroit to rally with UAW members, Michigan voters, and thousands of working class people who are fighting for a better future. Vice President Harris will also meet directly with UAW members and leaders to hear about the issues that matter to Michigan workers.   

“Our job in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to build on her proven track record of delivering for the working class,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “We stand at a crossroads in this country. We can put a billionaire back in office who stands against everything our union stands for, or we can elect Kamala Harris who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our war on corporate greed. This campaign is bringing together people from all walks of life, building a movement that can defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box. For our one million active and retired members, the choice is clear: We will elect Kamala Harris to be our next President this November.” 

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UAW Statement on Corporate Greed at John Deere

John Deere’s reckless layoffs and job cuts are an insult to the working class people of Iowa and Illinois, and the United Auto Workers will fight for justice for our members and communities affected by these moves.  

Let’s be clear: there is no need for Deere to kill good American jobs and outsource them to Mexico for cheap labor. The company is forecasted to make $7 billion in profit this year. CEO John May’s total compensation for 2023 was $26.8 million. The company has spent $43.6 billion on stock buybacks and dividends over the past two decades. There is no question that there is enough profit to go around, and Deere can afford to keep good jobs in Iowa and Illinois.  

So why are they choosing not to? Because Deere’s corporate greed means more to them than the lives of working class people in Ankeny, Waterloo, Ottumwa, or Dubuque. And our government lets them get away with it, with broken trade laws that don’t protect workers on either side of the border.  

The UAW is hard at work trying to minimize the impacts of these cuts and layoffs for our members at Deere and pushing the company to do right by our members, their families, and their communities. But when a company is doing as well as Deere, on the hard work of those UAW members who make the product that generates those profits, there is absolutely no reason for job cuts, layoffs, outsourcing, or cutbacks. We will keep pushing for justice at Deere and keep letting corporate America know that the working class will not accept the scraps while the CEOs and shareholders get richer and richer. 

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UAW Files Seven Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against Cornell University Amid Contract Talks

ITHACA — Over the past few weeks, the UAW has filed seven separate unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Cornell University, citing violations of workers’ rights and federal labor laws amid ongoing contract negotiations. The agreement, covering more than 1,200 workers, expired at midnight on Sunday, June 30.

In response to these charges, UAW Local 2300 President Christine Johnson stated, “Our members are the backbone of Cornell, yet the administration thinks it can divide us and intimidate us by distributing union busting talking points to managers and stomping on our rights. These unfair labor practice charges are a necessary step to keep Cornell in check. Instead of breaking our union, Cornell should be focused on negotiating a record contract without violating the law.”

The charges filed with the NLRB cite various violations by Cornell University, including but not limited to: 

Retaliation Against Union Activities: The UAW asserts that Cornell University has engaged in retaliatory actions against workers who have participated in union activities or expressed support for the union.

Interference with Workers’ Rights: The UAW claims that Cornell University has unlawfully interfered with workers’ rights to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in other concerted activities for mutual aid and protection.

Discrimination Against Union Members: The charges cite discriminatory treatment against workers based on their union membership or activities.

Failure to Bargain in Good Faith: The UAW contends that Cornell University has failed to bargain in good faith with the union regarding wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Cornell workers are demanding an agreement that reflects wealth Cornell has amassed and  includes the long overdue fair wages and working conditions workers deserve.

The membership, made up of maintenance and facilities workers, dining workers, gardeners, custodians, transportation workers and others, are facing declining real wages even as Cornell’s endowment has ballooned and tuition revenue has skyrocketed. Over the past four years, Cornell’s endowment has soared 39% to nearly $10 billion and tuition has increased 13% – all while workers’ buying power has fallen 5%.

On the heels of the UAW’s historic Stand Up Strike and record contracts with the Big Three automakers, and as tens of thousands of workers across the country continue organizing to join the UAW, workers at Cornell University are standing up for fair pay, cost of living adjustments (COLA), and a better future for the working class. 

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UAW Statement on President Biden’s Candidacy

Today, the United Auto Workers thanks President Joe Biden for his incredible term of service, and the leadership he has shown in putting country before self, once again, in passing the torch to a new generation. 

Joe Biden made history by joining us on our picket line last September and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the working class throughout his term in office. Vice President Kamala Harris walked the picket line with us in 2019, and along with President Biden has brought work and jobs back to communities like Lordstown, Ohio, and Belvidere, Illinois. That’s the legacy President Biden leaves, and that’s the work we will continue to build on as a union. While Donald Trump lies about rebuilding the auto industry, the fact is that while he was in office, autoworkers in Lordstown were left for dead by GM in 2019 while he said and did nothing. 

The path forward is clear: we will defeat Donald Trump and his billionaire agenda and elect a champion for the working class to the highest office in this country. We will speak truth to power about the issues that matter to the working class: a living wage, decent healthcare, a dignified retirement, and taking our lives and our time back. And we will Stand Up for our members and the whole working class in the fight for economic and social justice on and off the job. 

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UAW Members Ratify Unprecedented Contract at BMW in the Lehigh Valley

BMW workers at the distribution center in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania, have voted more than 2-to-1 to ratify a new contract securing raises of up to 33% and ending the two-tier wage system over the life of the agreement. 

The agreement also introduces major improvements to policies on time off, uniforms, overtime exemptions, and attendance. The deal comes after workers at the BMW facility, who package and ship parts, as well as all BMW motorcycles, to BMW’s dealer network, built a credible strike threat that forced the company to offer a contract that properly reflects workers’ immense value.

BMW has raked in a massive $50 billion in profits since 2021 and paid out $7.2 billion to shareholders last year alone. Company CEO Oliver Zipse was generously rewarded with a nearly $10 million payday in 2023. Yet, workers at the facility saw their standard of living continue to decline as wages and benefits stagnated for years.  

“The company has been making billions in profits while many of us had gone for years without a raise, which is unacceptable,” said Zach Haas, the chief steward and bargaining unit chair. “We used our collective power, including the very real threat of withholding our labor, to win a great deal that rewards our work and gives us a stronger voice and platform for making the plant safer.”

Many workers will receive an 11% raise immediately. The new agreement also contains a new process to guarantee that workers’ safety and health concerns are heard and dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. These BMW workers are the latest UAW members to win big as part of the Stand Up Movement.

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The Bronx Defenders Union Announces Unlimited Unfair Labor Practice Strike Beginning Week of July 22, 2024

Bronx, NY  – On July 2, 2024, one day after the contract between The Bronx Defenders (BxD) and its wall-to-wall union, The Bronx Defenders Union–UAW Local 2325 (BxD Union), expired, BxD Union’s Bargaining Committee voted to authorize an unlimited Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike beginning the week of July 22, 2024.

The difficult decision to authorize a strike comes after the Bargaining Committee attempted for months to engage BxD’s executive management team in bargaining without success. BxD’s failure to bargain in good faith—an unfair labor practice—has left BxD Union with no choice but to call for a strike. 

“For the past six months, the Bargaining Committee has worked tirelessly to meet the demands of all 260 of our members. BxD Management, in their failure to bargain in good faith, has shown us that they don’t serve the Bronx communities we defend. Sadly, the solidarity, equity, and empathy with which our union operates appears foreign to them,” said Tyler Johnson, Bronx native, Civil Legal Advocate, and member of the Bargaining Committee. “Nonetheless, BxD Union stands ready to show BxD Management the value of our labor and the power of our collective solidarity. We cannot be bullied, gaslit, or intimidated. We’re ready to strike.”

The Bargaining Committee was empowered to call for a strike by a historic strike authorization vote. On June 27, 2024, with 93% of members participating, 93% of BxD Union voted to authorize the Bargaining Committee to call for a strike if necessary. With this vote, BxD Union became the first of the alternate providers formed after 1994 to authorize a strike in thirty years, since the Legal Aid Society went on strike under Mayor Giuliani.

Members of BxD Union cannot effectively defend the people of the Bronx when they are among the lowest-paid public defenders in New York City, contending with high attrition and unmanageable caseloads. On strike, they will protest BxD’s unfair labor practices and call for competitive salaries and benefits, no rollbacks of existing benefits and protections, a one-year contract, and key noneconomic benefits, including free speech and sustainable working conditions.

BxD Union is prepared to return to the bargaining table and make every effort to avoid this strike. BxD’s management can avert the extreme disruption a strike will cause, including interruption of client services, by agreeing to BxD Union’s reasonable contractual framework.

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UAW Reaches Historic Agreement at BMW’s Regional Distribution Center in the Lehigh Valley 

Palmer Township, PA — UAW members who work at the BMW Regional Distribution Center in Palmer Township, PA, have won a historic tentative agreement that, if ratified, includes record wage increases and ends the two-tier wage system. The agreement also introduces major improvements to policies on time off, uniforms, overtime exemptions, and attendance. The deal comes after workers at the BMW facility built a credible strike threat that forced the company to offer a contract that properly reflects workers’ immense value.  
 
“We knew that if we stuck together and refused to be divided, we could win,” said Zach Haas, chief steward and bargaining unit chair. “This agreement is going to mean a better life for me and my coworkers.”  
 
BMW has raked in a massive $50 billion in profits since 2021 and paid out $7.2 billion to shareholders last year alone. Company CEO Oliver Zipse was generously rewarded with a nearly $10 million payday in 2023. Yet, workers at the facility have seen their standard of living continue to decline as wages and benefits have stagnated for years.  
 
For weeks, workers ramped up their campaign to win a record contract before the current agreement’s June 30 expiration. They organized red shirt days and held multiple rallies in front of the BMW facility, with community leaders often joining them to offer their support.  
 
On June 8, members voted by 99% to authorize a strike, sending a clear message to BMW that workers were more than willing to walk if the company continued to lowball negotiations. 
 
“I couldn’t be prouder of these workers for demanding better working conditions and a better life for themselves,” said UAW Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente. “They stood together and showed BMW that they were willing to do what needed to be done to win what they know they deserve. They’re a testament to the power of solidarity.”  
 
Workers at the RDC will attend informational meetings and vote on the agreement in the coming days.  
 
The record tentative agreement at the BMW-RDC follows a string of contract victories for the UAW, including major wins at the Big Three automakers, Daimler Truck, Allison Transmission, and Aramark, among others. 

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