Thousands of autoworkers at Toyota, Honda and others move to unionize after UAW victory over the Big Three

The United Auto Workers (UAW) have secured a victory over the “Big Three” automakers in Detroit, and thousands of autoworkers at Toyota, Honda and other foreign-owned companies are responding by moving to form unions.

These autoworkers are seeking to secure better wages, secure job protections and ensure safety on the job for their members, citing similar grievances that the UAW has been fighting in the domestic auto industry. Workers at auto parts suppliers, such as Denso, have already joined and formed unions, and there have been reports that workers at other foreign automakers are planning to form unions in the near future.

The movement to unionize is bolstered by the recent success of the UAW at General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, and the wave of support and solidarity it has received from other autoworkers. The UAW victory has shown other autoworkers that they have power to win real wage increases, job security and safer working conditions when they form a union.

The UAW is encouraging those foreign auto-manufacturers to respect their employees’ rights to unionize and work collaboratively with their unions to reach agreements that benefit the companies and workers alike. They are advocating for fair pay and workplace protections that will help ensure that autoworkers can maintain a livable wage and support their families.

It remains to be seen how successful the UAW’s efforts will be in organizing autoworkers at foreign-owned companies. However, given the recent success at the Big Three, and the determination of autoworkers to create a better future, the prospects are very encouraging.