Shawn Fain is running for a second term as UAW president, but this time he's not the outsider pushing for change. He's the incumbent defending a record.
At the UAW's constitutional convention in Detroit, Fain pointed to major wins from the 2023 labor negotiations, including gains against the Detroit Three and expanded organizing efforts at companies like Volkswagen. He also laid out an ambitious vision for the union's future, including restoring pensions and expanding the UAW's reach beyond automotive.
The election won't be uncontested. Five challengers have entered the race, and several are arguing that reform efforts inside the union remain unfinished. Questions around leadership transparency and governance have also remained part of the conversation following reports from the union's federal monitor.
Despite the criticism, many members continue to credit Fain for bringing labor issues back into the national spotlight and reshaping the public conversation around workers.
Hear our whole talk with Steve here.
What It Means for Automotive
The next chapter of the UAW may look very different from the last one.
When Fain rose to prominence, most conversations centered on wages, benefits, and strike strategy. Today, artificial intelligence and automation are becoming impossible to ignore. Fain called AI a threat to workers during his convention address, signaling that technology could become a defining labor issue over the next several years.
That's where things get complicated for automakers.
Manufacturers are under pressure to build vehicles faster, lower costs, and compete against increasingly efficient global competitors. At the same time, labor leaders are focused on protecting jobs and expanding worker benefits. Both goals are understandable. They just don't always move in the same direction.
The upcoming election isn't simply a referendum on the last contract cycle. It's an early look at how organized labor plans to respond as software, automation, and AI become bigger parts of the automotive business.
