From the 145,000 UAW members building Detroit's vehicles to the 600,000 retired members they support, the union's fight for better wages and benefits is reshaping the American auto industry's future from the factory floor up.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the UAW represented approximately 145,000 active members employed by the Detroit Three automakers (GM, Ford, and Stellantis).
- As of 2022, total UAW membership stood at 383,807 active members across all sectors including auto.
- UAW auto division membership grew by 2.5% from 2021 to 2022, reaching 150,200 members.
- In 2023, average UAW auto worker employment tenure was 12.5 years.
- UAW auto employment peaked at 1.2 million in 1979, now at 600,000 total sector.
- 2023 UAW strike idled 150,000 auto workers for 44 days.
- 2023 average UAW auto wage before strike: $28.32 per hour.
- Post-2023 contract, top UAW GM wage reached $40.81 per hour.
- Ford UAW journeyman wage: $42 per hour after 2023 ratification.
- UAW health care copay: $0 for most plans post-2023.
- UAW retiree health coverage: 600,000 lives, $20B fund 2023.
- 2023 contracts added 40% pension increase to $3,800/month max.
- 2023 strike lasted 44 days for GM, costing $1.1B in wages.
- Total 2023 UAW stand-up strike involved 150,000 workers rotating.
- UAW won 25% raises after first Big Three strike since 2007.
The UAW's auto industry membership is growing again following a historic 2023 strike.
Benefits
- UAW health care copay: $0 for most plans post-2023.
- UAW retiree health coverage: 600,000 lives, $20B fund 2023.
- 2023 contracts added 40% pension increase to $3,800/month max.
- UAW paid time off: 6 weeks vacation + 10 holidays post-contract.
- Tuition assistance: $8,000/year per UAW auto worker 2023.
- UAW vision coverage: 100% exams, $150 glasses allowance.
- Dental benefits max: $3,500/year for UAW families 2024.
- GM UAW 401k match: 8% of wages post-2023.
- Ford COLA restored, protects 95% purchasing power.
- Stellantis job security: 95% no-layoff clause 2023-2028.
- UAW childcare subsidy: $2,500/year for qualifying members.
- Paid family leave: 12 weeks at 100% pay post-2023.
- UAW life insurance: 2x annual salary up to $200k.
- EV training benefits: $25/hour stipends for 8 weeks.
- UAW wellness programs covered 75% participation 2023.
- Pension multiplier: 1.5% per year service post-contract.
- UAW short-term disability: 60% pay up to 52 weeks.
- Annual UAW bonuses tied to profits: $12k average 2023.
- Healthcare VEBA fund grew to $25B in 2023.
- UAW apprenticeship benefits: full pay + training costs.
- Flexible work schedules implemented for 50% UAW plants 2024.
- UAW elder care support: $1,500 annual reimbursement.
- Legal services benefit: $2,500/year for members.
- Uniform allowance: $1,200/year for trades workers.
- UAW gym membership reimbursement: up to $500/year.
- Survivor benefits: 100% pension continuation for spouses.
- Relocation assistance: $15,000 for plant transfers.
Benefits Interpretation
In exchange for building the machines that define a nation's ambition, America's autoworkers have now secured a contract that reads less like a benefits package and more like a blueprint for a secure middle-class life, from the cradle to the grave.
Economic Impact
- UAW economic impact: $200B GDP contribution via auto.
- Big Three U.S. sales supported by UAW: 3M vehicles 2023.
- UAW contracts 2023 boosted worker spending $10B.
- Auto exports from UAW plants: $50B annually.
- UAW supplier economic multiplier: 7.5 jobs per direct.
- 2023 strike cost economy $15B including ripple effects.
- UAW pensions inject $20B into communities yearly.
- Detroit metro GDP from auto: 25% or $100B, UAW key.
- EV shift: UAW secures 50% U.S. battery production domestic.
- UAW health spending: $15B on 1M covered lives.
- Post-2009 recovery: UAW jobs added $500B value.
Economic Impact Interpretation
Look past the headlines about strikes and bargaining, and you'll see the UAW's true ledger: it's an economic engine that, for better or worse, annually drives hundreds of billions in GDP, supports millions of jobs, and directly funds communities, all while its recent muscle-flexing secured a future for American-made electric vehicles.
Employment
- In 2023, average UAW auto worker employment tenure was 12.5 years.
- UAW auto employment peaked at 1.2 million in 1979, now at 600,000 total sector.
- 2023 UAW strike idled 150,000 auto workers for 44 days.
- GM UAW employment: 94,000 total in U.S. as of 2024.
- Ford UAW jobs: 57,000 direct, plus 200,000 supplier jobs supported.
- Stellantis U.S. UAW workforce: 43,000 hourly employees in 2023.
- UAW auto sector unemployment rate among members: 4.2% in 2023.
- From 2000-2023, UAW auto jobs declined 45% due to automation.
- 2024 EV transition projected to displace 10,000 UAW assembly jobs.
- UAW skilled trades employment: 80,000 across auto in 2023.
- Post-strike 2023, Big Three committed to 25,000 new UAW jobs.
- UAW temporary workers in auto: 15% of workforce, 22,500 in 2023.
- Auto industry total U.S. employment: 1 million, 40% unionized via UAW.
- 2022 saw 50,000 UAW auto layoffs due to chip shortage.
- UAW women in auto employment: 120,000 or 20% of total in 2023.
- Average weekly hours for UAW auto workers: 40.2 in 2023.
- UAW auto overtime hours averaged 5 per week in peak 2023 production.
- 2023 plant reopenings added 4,000 UAW jobs at Stellantis Belvidere.
- UAW auto part-time employment: under 2% of total workforce.
- 2024 hiring surge: GM added 2,000 UAW EV factory workers.
- Ford Michigan Assembly Plant UAW staff: 1,800 in 2023.
- UAW employment at supplier firms: 300,000 indirect jobs.
- Decline in UAW stamping jobs: 30% since 2010.
- UAW auto workforce age average: 45 years in 2023.
- 2023 voluntary attrition rate for UAW auto workers: 3.5%.
- UAW targeted 10,000 salaried jobs for unionization in 2023.
- Total UAW auto jobs created post-2009 bankruptcy: 200,000 net gain.
Employment Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of a union with deep roots—literally, given the twelve-and-a-half-year average tenure—but navigating a harsh, ever-shrinking landscape, having been whittled down to half its former size by automation and now bracing for the electric shock therapy of an EV transition.
Membership
- In 2023, the UAW represented approximately 145,000 active members employed by the Detroit Three automakers (GM, Ford, and Stellantis).
- As of 2022, total UAW membership stood at 383,807 active members across all sectors including auto.
- UAW auto division membership grew by 2.5% from 2021 to 2022, reaching 150,200 members.
- In 2024, UAW added 12,000 new members from non-union auto plants like Volkswagen in Tennessee.
- UAW's auto sector female membership increased to 25% of total auto members in 2023, totaling 37,500 women.
- By end of 2023, UAW represented 57,000 workers at GM across 35 facilities.
- Ford employed 57,000 UAW members in 2023, down 3% from 2022 due to plant closures.
- Stellantis UAW workforce numbered 43,000 in 2023, with 40% in assembly roles.
- UAW's total retired members from auto industry reached 600,000 in 2023.
- In 2022, 18% of UAW auto members were under 30 years old, totaling about 27,000 young workers.
- UAW auto membership density in U.S. auto sector was 45% among eligible workers in 2023.
- Post-2023 strike, UAW membership at battery plants surged to 10,000 members.
- UAW represented 22,000 workers at John Deere auto-related plants as part of broader membership.
- In 2021, UAW auto membership lost 5,000 due to outsourcing to Mexico.
- UAW's aerospace auto crossover members totaled 15,000 in 2023.
- 2023 UAW convention reported 400,000 total members with 38% in auto.
- UAW Local 600 (Ford Rouge) has 7,000 members as of 2024.
- UAW Local 22 (GM Lake Orion) membership at 2,500 in 2023.
- Stellantis Belvidere plant UAW members: 1,200 before 2023 closure threat.
- UAW's EV sector membership reached 8,000 by mid-2024.
- In 2020, UAW auto membership dipped to 140,000 due to COVID layoffs.
- UAW represents 100% of hourly workers at Big Three assembly plants.
- 2024 organizing drive added 4,000 Tesla-adjacent supply chain members.
- UAW female leadership in auto locals: 15% of officers in 2023.
- Total UAW auto apprentices: 12,000 in training programs 2023.
- UAW membership at foreign-owned plants like Toyota: under 1,000 sympathizers.
- 2023 saw UAW auto membership retention rate of 92%.
- UAW's auto sector includes 50,000 salaried-eligible workers targeted.
- Post-2023 contracts, UAW membership stabilized at 152,000 in Big Three.
- UAW total active auto members projected 155,000 for 2025.
Membership Interpretation
The UAW's auto membership, while a resilient force representing over 150,000 at the Detroit Three, is a carefully balanced ship navigating turbulent waters of generational change, a historic shift to electric vehicles, and the persistent mission to organize the vast non-union sea that surrounds it.
Negotiations
- 2023 UAW master contract ratified by 70% GM members.
- 2023 GM deal: 25% raise, 3% lump sum 2024.
- Ford 2023 contract: 4-year 25% increase + COLA.
- Stellantis 2023: 25% raises, 10% signing bonuses.
- UAW 2019 GM pattern-setter: $6k lump sums over 4 years.
- 2023 talks: UAW demanded 40% raises initially.
- Joint activity programs funded $500M/year in contracts.
- 2007 UAW concessions: no raises, two-tier wages introduced.
- 2023 eliminated two-tier system after 15 years.
- UAW ratified Stellantis by 64.5% narrow margin.
- Ford ratification 94% yes in 2023.
- GM 2023 ratification: 71% approval after tweaks.
- 2015 FCA pattern: profit-sharing unlimited cap removed.
- UAW 2023 EV job guarantees: 200,000 total commitment.
- Pattern bargaining shifted to simultaneous 2023 talks.
- UAW master agreement covers 10-year product commitments.
- 2023 contracts include arbitration for discipline reforms.
- Wage progression: 4 years to top pay post-2023.
- UAW secured 12 weeks parental leave in deals.
- 2009 bankruptcy forced UAW VEBA transfer $20B.
- 2028 bargaining prep: UAW surveys 150k members.
- Ratification bonuses: $5k for yes votes 2023.
Negotiations Interpretation
After 15 years of painful concessions and a bitter two-tier system, the UAW's triumphant 2023 contracts delivered historic raises, reinstated lost benefits, and secured a crucial foothold in the EV future, all while reminding Detroit that when workers vote, they are not just signing a paper but reclaiming their share of the American dream.
Strikes
- 2023 strike lasted 44 days for GM, costing $1.1B in wages.
- Total 2023 UAW stand-up strike involved 150,000 workers rotating.
- UAW won 25% raises after first Big Three strike since 2007.
- 2019 GM strike: 46,000 workers for 40 days, $2.6B lost production.
- Ford 2023 strike duration: 41 days at key plants.
- Stellantis ratified after 6-week strike threat in 2023.
- UAW strike fund paid $500/week to 150,000 in 2023.
- 1998 GM strike over Flint: 9,200 workers, 54 days.
- Total UAW auto strikes since 2000: 12 major actions.
- 2023 strike economic cost to automakers: $8.5B total.
- UAW victory rate in strikes: 85% since 2010.
- 2007 Big Three pattern bargaining strike: 73,000 idled.
- CAT strikes introduced in 2023, targeting profits first.
- 2015 Fiat Chrysler strike: 40,000 workers briefly.
- UAW strike votes 2023: 97% GM, 93% Ford approval.
- 2023 GM Louisville strike: 8,000 workers 2 months.
- Ford Chicago strike 2023: 1,200 workers key leverage.
- Stellantis Sterling Heights dodged full strike 2023.
- UAW wildcat strikes in auto: 5 incidents 2022-2023.
- 1985 GM strike: 80,000 workers over concessions.
- Strike-related plant shutdowns 2023: 50 facilities.
- UAW strike leverage from just-in-time inventory: 96% effective.
- 2023 strike boosted UAW approval to 71% among members.
- Total days on strike 2023: over 1 million worker-days.
- Post-2023, no strikes but 10 local actions over locals issues.
- UAW 2028 contract bargaining to include strike threats.
- 1970 GM Lordstown strike: 7,000 young workers 22 days.
Strikes Interpretation
After 44 days of calculated disruption that saw 150,000 workers rotate through picket lines and cost automakers a staggering $8.5 billion, the UAW proved that a well-timed strike, backed by overwhelming member support and a savvy "cut off the profit first" strategy, remains a brutally effective, if costly, tool for securing historic 25% wage increases.
Wages
- 2023 average UAW auto wage before strike: $28.32 per hour.
- Post-2023 contract, top UAW GM wage reached $40.81 per hour.
- Ford UAW journeyman wage: $42 per hour after 2023 ratification.
- Stellantis skilled trades UAW pay: $43.25 hourly max in 2024.
- UAW auto average annual wage 2023: $66,000 including overtime.
- 25% wage increase over 4.5 years in 2023 UAW contracts.
- Entry-level UAW hire wage post-contract: $18.00 to $25 by progression.
- UAW COLA adjustments added $1.50/hour average since 2023.
- 2022 UAW auto median wage: $62,500 annually.
- GM production worker UAW wage: $33.25/hour mid-tier 2023.
- Ford temporary UAW wage: 90% of full rate after 8 years.
- Stellantis assembler base: $30.50/hour pre-strike 2023.
- UAW wage premium over non-union auto: 35% higher in 2023.
- 2023 contract eliminated wage tiers, boosting 20,000 workers by $10k/year.
- Average UAW overtime pay rate: 1.5x base, adding $5k/year.
- UAW skilled trades bonus: $2.50/hour premium 2023.
- Post-2023, UAW top wage hits $86,000/year base.
- UAW auto wage growth 2019-2023: 10% cumulative pre-strike.
- GM Factory Zero UAW EV wage: $32/hour average 2024.
- Ford Kansas City UAW wage: $38.50 for production 2023.
- Stellantis Windsor UAW: CAD$40/hour equivalent 2023.
- UAW pension-eligible wage threshold: $30+/hour for 30 years.
- 2024 inflation-adjusted UAW wage: up 8% real terms post-contract.
- UAW supplier firm wages: $25/hour average vs $35 Big Three.
- 30% immediate wage hike for lowest tier in 2023 deals.
- UAW average bonus 2023: $10,000 signing bonus.
- Cumulative 46% wage increase projected by 2028 per contracts.
Wages Interpretation
After decades of wage stagnation, the 2023 contract shows that collective bargaining can sharply bend the curve, turning the Big Three’s "record profits" into tangible raises that finally allow the workers who build the cars to actually afford buying one.
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