The UAW said today that its membership grew by 8,902 in 2013 as the automotive industry continued to rebound and the union logged some organizing victories that helped it reach a total of 391,415 members.
While the increase is a modest 2% gain, it is the fourth consecutive year of membership gains for the UAW at a time when labor union membership continues to decline nationally.
The union credited its gains to some product investments that the Detroit Three committed to during the 2011 contract negotiations as well as organizing gains at several manufacturing companies in the South and in the gaming industry.
“We welcome these new members and commend our existing membership who have made organizing and building the union a priority, despite an all-out attack on working people and our right to organize,” UAW President Bob King said in a statement.
The UAW lost a high-profile representation vote at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., in February. King, who made organizing the union’s top priority when he was elected in 2010, also has failed to organize a major auto plant in the South, even though several organizing campaigns have been launched against Asian and German automakers during his tenure.
The UAW has challenged the results of the Volkswagen vote in an appeal to the National Labor Relations Board and continues to push ahead with organizing campaigns at Nissan’s plants in Tennessee and Mississippi as well as at Mercedes-Benz’s plant in Vance, Ala.
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