The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy.
UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals and private non-profit organizations.
The UAW has approximately 640,000 active members and over 500,000 retired members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
There are more than 800 local unions in the UAW. The UAW currently has 3,100 contracts with some 2,000 employers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
A unique strength of the UAW is the solidarity between its active and retired members. A solid majority of the union's half-million retirees stay actively involved in the life of their union, participating in 690 retiree chapters and playing a vital role in the UAW's community action program.
Since its founding in 1935, the UAW has consistently developed innovative partnerships with employers and negotiated industry-leading wages and benefits for its members. UAW members have benefited from a number of collective bargaining breakthroughs, including:
the first employer-paid health insurance plan for industrial workers
the first cost-of-living allowances
a pioneering role in product quality improvements
landmark job and income security provisions
comprehensive training and educational programs
A voice for all
As impressive as it is, the UAW's success record at the bargaining table
is only part of the story. From our earliest days, the UAW has been a
leader in the struggle to secure economic and social justice for all people.
The UAW has been actively involved in every civil rights legislative battle
since the 1950s, including the campaigns to pass the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act, the Civil
Rights Restoration Act of 1988 and legislation to prohibit discrimination
against women, the elderly and people with disabilities.
The UAW also has played a vital role in passing such landmark legislation as Medicare and Medicaid, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Employee Retirement Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. In Washington and state capitols, the UAW is fighting for better schools for kids, secure health care and pensions for retirees, clean air and water, tougher workplace health and safety standards, stronger worker's compensation and unemployment insurance laws and fairer taxes.
The UAW's commitment to improve the lives of working men and women extends beyond our borders to encompass people around the globe. Through vigilant political involvement and coordination with world labor organizations, we continue to fight for enforcement of trade agreement provisions on human and worker rights, fair labor standards and a new approach to international trade — one that raises the quality of life for working people worldwide.
If you are interested in organizing your workplace with the UAW, e-mail
our Organizing Department or call 1-800 2GET-UAW (1-800-243-8829).