United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has won another term, putting him at the helm of the union as it prepares for its next contract negotiations with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in 2028. Fain declared victory Oct. 9 after preliminary ballot results showed him winning more than 68% of the vote, according to Reuters. The results had not yet been certified in the initial reports.
The election gives Fain another four-year term following a first term marked by the UAW's 2023 strike against all three Detroit automakers, which ended with new agreements that included substantial wage increases and other benefits.
Fain has said the union intends to pursue the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for workers hired after the automakers moved away from those plans for new hires in 2007. The union is also focused on retirement security, wages and protections against automation as it begins preparing for the next round of bargaining.
The 2023 agreements delivered wage increases of more than 25% over the contract period, along with cost-of-living adjustments and improvements to other benefits. Those agreements also included provisions addressing temporary workers and plant closures.
The next negotiations will determine which of those gains are maintained and what additional demands the union brings to the table.
Automakers face another major negotiation
Ford, GM and Stellantis will enter the next bargaining round amid continued changes in the U.S. auto industry, including shifting electric-vehicle investment plans, tariff-related cost pressures and competition across vehicle segments.
Labor agreements are a significant component of manufacturing costs for the Detroit Three. The terms negotiated in 2028 could affect labor expenses, production decisions and the companies' competitive positions, although the extent of any impact will depend on the final agreements and broader market conditions. Fain has urged the union to prepare for a possible strike when the current contracts expire on April 30, 2028. That preparation does not mean a strike will occur; the outcome will depend on negotiations between the union and each automaker.
The UAW's next contract campaign is expected to focus on wages, retirement benefits and job security as workers navigate changes in vehicle production and technology.
For the Detroit Three, Fain's re-election establishes continuity in union leadership heading into a bargaining round that could shape labor relations and manufacturing costs for years to come.
