In recent months, the labor union movement in the auto industry has gained significant momentum. In December of 2020, the United Autoworkers (UAW) succeeded in unionizing three of the auto industry’s largest companies: General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler. This victory has spurred a wave of workers from other automobile giants across the United States to attempt to follow in the UAW’s footsteps.
Thousands of workers at Honda and Toyota factories around the country have recently begun the process of unionizing. The process began when the workers at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio facility began signing cards in order to form a union. Other plants at Honda soon followed suit, leading to the company’s management agreeing to recognize a union if a majority of workers voted in favor of it. At Toyota, the process is similar as workers assembled for the formation of a union.
Many of these workers are inspired by the UAW, which is the largest autoworker union in the US. The union is renowned for its success in negotiating better wages, benefits, and working conditions and has served as a beacon for the Honda and Toyota workers attempting to follow in their footsteps.
For Toyota and Honda, the prospect of unionization brings a certain degree of risk, as it could lead to a loss of profits due to increased labor costs. However, the companies are probably banking on the fact that union labor brings many benefits, such as job security and better wages for employees.
The ultimate success of the unionization efforts at Honda and Toyota remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: the UAW victory over the Big Three has demonstrated that workers in the auto industry have the power to achieve gains for themselves and their families. The success of unionizing at Honda and Toyota will determine if this wave of labor solidarity will ripple and affect other parts of the industry.