UAW’s Principles For Fair Union Elections

January 14, 2011

With its membership below 400,000, the UAW recently issued its "Principles for Fair Union Elections." It plans on using these Principles in an attempt to unionize new members, initially at foreign-owned automotive companies. UAW President Bob King has predicted that by using the Principles, the UAW will organize at least one foreign-owned automotive plant by the end of 2011. Presumably, if using the Principles with foreign-owned automotive companies results in the successful organizing of new UAW members, the UAW will extend its use of the Principles to other companies, particularly including foreign-owned automotive suppliers.

The UAW, which, in June, approved spending $60 million on organizing, also will use part of its $800 million strike fund, for its organizing efforts. UAW President Bob King stated: "We have, in many ways, pretty deep pockets in terms of what we're willing to spend &hellip we have really unlimited resources to devote to this."

For the reasons outlined in this article, the Principles are one-sided in favor of the UAW and should be unacceptable to any non-unionized employer that wants to remain union-free.

The Principles consist of a Preamble, eleven principles, and a brief explanation of each principle.

The Preamble identifies the Principles as establishing a framework that will permit employees to freely exercise their right to join or not to join a union. According to the Preamble, a new framework is needed because the "current federal framework under the National Labor Relations Act does not protect the rights of workers to freely decide whether or not a join the UAW." The UAW pledges that if employers "abide by" the Principles, the UAW "will respect the choice of the workers whether or not they choose to join the UAW."

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