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UAW Statement on the Passing of USW President Leo W. Gerard

We mourn the passing of Leo W. Gerard, former International President of the United Steelworkers, whose life was dedicated to advancing the cause of working people around the world.

Gerard was a tireless advocate for global solidarity. He understood that the fight for workers’ rights could not stop at national borders, and he worked to ensure that unions spoke with a united voice in the face of corporate power.

His leadership was pivotal in many international struggles, including efforts in Mexico to support the independent union movement and the campaign to hold Volkswagen accountable for union-busting in Chattanooga. When the decision arose at the IndustriALL Executive Committee meeting over whether to maintain the Global Framework Agreement with Volkswagen, Gerard’s intervention was decisive in backing the UAW. He made it crystal clear that union-busting would not be tolerated and that at the global level, labor would stand as one.

Leo Gerard leaves behind a legacy of courage, conviction, and solidarity. His vision of a labor movement united across borders will continue to guide the fight for justice for generations to come.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, to his colleagues, and to the entire United Steelworkers community.

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UAW Members at GE Aerospace Approve New Contract

CINCINNATI—After an intense three weeks on strike, the picket lines in Evendale, OH and Erlanger, KY are winding down as UAW Local 647 members at GE Aerospace voted by 82% to approve a new five-year contract today.

“Together we stood like David against Goliath—shoulder to shoulder against a billion-dollar company, refusing to be treated as just numbers,” said UAW Local 647 President Brian Strunk. “We secured job security, more time with our families, and money to offset health care costs.”

The deal delivers significant gains for UAW Local 647 members, including:

· Minimum workforce guarantees to protect jobs

· Payments to offset health care cost increases

· Additional personal time and vacation time

“I’d like to congratulate the 600 plus UAW Local 647 members at GE Aerospace for standing up and using your collective strength,” said UAW Region 2B Director Dave Green. “For over three weeks, across Erlanger and Evendale, you never wavered. Your grit, resilience—and, of course, your solidarity—showed a multi-billion dollar company what power really looks like.”

The newly ratified agreement is effective September 15 and expires September 15, 2030.

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Unprocessed Unemployment Claims, Frozen Medicaid, and Public Safety Risks: UAW Members at the State of Michigan Outline Alarming Risks of Looming Shutdown

UAW Local 6000, representing 16,000 State of Michigan employees across 1,200 worksites, sounded the alarm with Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) in the Capitol as October 1 shutdown deadline looms.

LANSING — With October 1’s deadline for a Michigan government shutdown looming large in Lansing, the UAW sounded the alarm today about the critical State of Michigan (SOM) services that are in jeopardy. UAW Local 6000 represents 16,000 SOM employees across 1,200 worksites in Michigan, including the Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary of State, and state corrections offices, among other critical departments.

“UAW Local 6000 members are on the front lines of ensuring the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable populations, providing critical services to people who depend on basic necessities essential to their survival,” said UAW Local 6000 President Rachel Dickinson. “When UAW Local 6000 members aren’t on the job, Michigan feels it fast—unemployment claims don’t get processed, SNAP and Medicaid slow down or grind to a halt, public safety is put at risk. This isn’t just paperwork; it’s people’s lives and the stability of our state.”

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with UAW Local 6000 members in Lansing today, Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) further elaborated on the stakes of the House’s bad budget that is spiraling Michigan towards a shutdown.

“As the daughter of two proud UAW retirees, I am proud to stand with UAW Local 6000 today and every day,” said Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing). “When we support our state employees, we support the very fabric of Michigan’s success. Senate Democrats will keep standing with our state workers and working around the clock until we pass a balanced state budget that funds essential human services, protects our workers, and invests in the future of our state.”

This week, SOM employees are expecting to see two-week notice letters in their mailboxes warning of the imminent shutdown on October 1. The ominous deadline comes following the Republican-majority Michigan House’s passage of a ruthless slash and burn budget that would impact working-class communities the harshest.

“It’s time for House Republicans to quit messing around with people’s livelihoods and the core services on which Michiganders rely,” said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids). “These folks do the oftentimes unglamorous work of keeping our state running, yet have been maligned as ‘waste, fraud, and abuse.’ We won’t stand for it. In this moment, they deserve honest leadership from the legislature and nothing less.”

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After Two Weeks Holding the Line, UAW Members at GE Aerospace Secure Strong Tentative Agreement Addressing All Core Issues

CINCINNATI—After an intense, two-week strike, UAW Local 647 members at GE Aerospace have secured a strong tentative agreement with the company. The major victory comes just after the strike’s two-week anniversary and was won via the courage and solidarity of over 600 Cincinnati-area workers between GE’s Erlanger, KY, and Evendale, OH facilities who held strong on the picket like 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“UAW Local 647 members showed that you don’t beat a multi-billion-dollar company by backing down—you win by standing up and joining together in a common cause,” said UAW President Shawn Fain.

Of the three main sticking points that mobilized UAW Local 647 members to stand firm when GE forced workers to the streets at midnight on August 28—job security, health care costs, and time off—workers secured victories on all fronts. The company will cover nearly all health care premium increases over the term of the contract and workers will receive additional vacation time. The deal also secures strong job security protections for both Erlanger and Evendale locations, including minimum headcount and new work.

“I’m so proud of how UAW Local 647 stuck together,” said UAW Local 647 President Brian Strunk. “Our members held strong and had the courage to fight for more. Our bargaining team delivered on our members’ main demands: strong job security, more time off the job to spend with families, and money to offset the health care cost increase. My message to my entire UAW family: Continue to do the right thing, speak the truth, stand in unity, and you will prosper!”

The tentative agreement covers a five-year term, with a ratification vote set for Friday, September 19.

“Companies need to respect the UAW,” said UAW Region 2B Director Dave Green. “We’ve made a choice to do things differently as a union and our members at GE Aerospace are part of that. They knew they had to fight for a better contract today, in order to protect their tomorrow. I am proud of the resilience and grit Local 647’s members and leaders displayed to protect their future.”

Throughout the strike, GE workers shared their stories with local media, while keeping the full membership up to date with bargaining updates on the website and through text every day. This communication was critical in maintaining workers’ solidarity to secure a TA addressing the most critical concerns that led to the walk out.

“After 31 years at GE, I was tired of their corporate greed,” said Don Luknis, UAW Local 647 member, and strike captain out of GE’s Evendale facility. “I’m proud of our teamwork to keep each other going along the way. UAW Local 647 is a stronger union now than the day we walked out on strike against this corporate giant. One day longer, one day stronger!”

UAW members in Evendale, the larger facility, proudly build marine and industrial engines for the U.S. Navy. In Erlanger, UAW members are the distribution heart of GE global—feeding plants all over the world. The strike was the first UAW strike at GE since 1988.

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UAW Announces Results of Special Election in Region 1A

Detroit—The UAW has announced the results of an election held today in UAW Region 1A to fill the vacancy created when former Regional Director Laura Dickerson was elected UAW Vice President.

Delegates at a special regional convention elected UAW Local 600 1st Vice President Mark DePaoli to serve as the next Regional Director of UAW Region 1A, which covers thousands of active and retired UAW members across southeast Michigan.

“Laura Dickerson has been a dedicated leader and now brings her experience and commitment to our members in the Ford Department,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “We welcome Mark DePaoli to the International Executive Board and look forward to his leadership in Region 1A.”

DePaoli said, “I am honored to serve the members of Region 1A and to continue building our union’s strength in the workplace and our communities. Together, we will stand up for justice, fairness, and a better future for the working class.”

While the union has moved to a system of regular direct elections for its International Executive Board, mid-term vacancies at the regional level are filled by a vote of delegates, as outlined in the UAW constitution.

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KMWU and UAW Joint Statement: We Stand United Against All Attacks Restricting the Rights of Workers

The Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) and the United Auto Workers (UAW) strongly condemn the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) mass arrest and detention of 475 workers at the Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solutions construction site in Georgia. We declare our shared commitment to resist and fight back against all forms of attacks that violate workers’ rights.

Video footage of the ICE crackdown shows workers shackled with chains around their hands, feet and waists. This constitutes a violation of articles 47 and 48 of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules) which prohibit chaining human beings as “inherently degrading” and require “the least intrusive method” of restraint only when necessary and based on the level of risk. This crackdown constitutes a clear abuse of human rights and violation of international norms.

The fundamental rights of workers at U.S.-based plants invested in by Korean companies — regardless of nationality, race, employment type, or company affiliation — must be guaranteed. However, Korean companies have failed to create the conditions and environment for workers in the supply chain to be able to do their job safely. Three workers lost their lives at the Hyundai Metaplant site in Georgia, the most recent case this last May. On top of this, many workers are working under foreseeable risks, shouldering the risks relating to visas. Capital must stop shifting the burden of identified crises onto the backs of workers and instead take full responsibility for ensuring a safe work environment.

And what of the Trump administration, which forcibly entered a workplace arresting and detaining 475 workers? While receiving investment from Korean companies, the U.S. government launched a militarized operation targeting the workers at those sites. What the government should be doing is not cracking down on workers, but changing the structures that exploit workers, creating safe working environments, and providing support on the ground.

Of the 475 detained workers, approximately 300 Koreans began the journey home on the 11th. However, the workers originating from other countries remain in detention. KMWU and UAW call for the release of all the detained workers.

Capital crosses borders to exploit labor. The state, having abandoned its obligation to protect human rights, seems now obsessed with “hunting down workers.” At this moment, international solidarity among labor unions is more urgent than ever. KMWU and UAW will take the lead and respond together to defend the rights of workers around the world.

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UAW Issues Statement Condemning Dangerous Working Conditions and Immigration Raid at Hyundai

The UAW condemns Hyundai’s disgraceful record on worker safety. For years, Hyundai—including its joint ventures and the suppliers that work in its plants—cut corners on industry-standard safety precautions, refused to respect workers’ right to a union, and relied on the exploitation of immigrant labor to build its factories and supply chains. We’ve recently seen the consequences of this behavior: three workers at Hyundai were killed at work in the last two years.

When workers are put in danger by predatory companies like Hyundai, there is an opportunity for a constructive response from the federal government: OSHA and the NLRB have tools at their disposal to increase workplace safety. Unfortunately, the militarized federal crackdown on these workers further hurts safety at Hyundai. Workers are not the problem. Exploitative corporations are. The UAW will always stand with all workers—immigrant and native-born alike—against unsafe corporations and militarized attacks on our workplaces.

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Falsehoods and Inconsistencies: UAW Files Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against GE Aerospace for Failing to Bargain in Good Faith

CINCINNATI—The UAW has filed unfair labor practice charges alleging that GE Aerospace has bargained in bad faith, due to inconsistencies and false statements about bargaining. More than 600 UAW workers across two Cincinnati-area facilities remain on strike since walking out at midnight on August 28.

Notably, the ULP alleges that:

“On September 1, 2025, the Company issued a public/press statement that was distributed to the bargaining unit members that misrepresented the status of bargaining. The statement reported that during bargaining the Company had made a “comprehensive package proposal” to be put up for a ratification vote and that there was a deadline of September 5, 2025, to ratify this comprehensive package. This is not true. Prior to expiration, the Company never offered a comprehensive package to present for ratification and instead at the bargaining table engaged in piece-meal bargaining.”

You can read the complete ULP here.

“GE never put a complete deal on the table—period,” said UAW Local 647 President Brian Strunk. “Instead, GE chose Labor Day to put out a public statement, falsely claiming that they had made a ‘comprehensive package proposal’ with a ratification deadline of September 5. The truth is that they never made a comprehensive offer during negotiations. This is not good faith bargaining.”

Between 2022 to 2024, GE Aerospace has reaped record profit surpassing $17 billion and over $16 billion in shareholder distributions. Notably, a 5-year deal meeting the workers’ demands to maintain their current health care with no premium increases, strengthen job security, and add more time off, would cost GE just $75 million—which is only 1% of its 2024 profits.

In addition to over 600 GE workers represented by the UAW out on strike, about 550 IAM workers from GE’s Evendale site are honoring the picket line by refusing to work. This amounts to about 1,200 workers at GE that are not at work across two facilities.

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UAW Statement on Union Election at BlueOval SK

“Tonight, BlueOval SK workers won a majority of votes in an NLRB election to unionize their plant in Glendale, Kentucky, securing a hard-fought victory. This is a major step forward for workers who stood up against intense company opposition and chose to join the UAW.

“There are 41 challenge ballots still outstanding. We believe they are illegitimate and represent nothing more than an employer tactic to flood the unit and undermine the outcome. We will fight these challenges to defend the democratic choices of these workers, as we always do when corporations try to interfere with workers’ democratic choice. The challenged ballots are not part of the group of workers who built their union from the bottom up. They deserve to have their own union, in an appropriate bargaining unit with a representative of their own choosing.

“The UAW is calling on Ford to acknowledge the democratic decision of its workforce. They should immediately drop their anti-democratic effort to undermine the outcome of the election and recognize a majority of BlueOval SK’s production and maintenance employees have chosen to join the UAW and ensure battery jobs in Kentucky are good, safe, union jobs.”

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