The UAW's Southern Gamble: Organizing Workers at Foreign-Owned Vehicle Plants

The UAW's Southern Gamble is the first in-depth assessment of the UAW's efforts to organize foreign vehicle plants in the American South since 1989. It chronicles transnational union cooperation and documents employer strategies to thwart unionization. Silvia shows that unions must fight on three fronts: worksite, corporate boardroom, and political realm.

Format: Hardback
Length: 348 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2023
Publisher: Cornell University Press

The United Auto Workers (UAW) Southern Gamble is a comprehensive examination of the union's efforts to organize foreign vehicle plants in the American South since 1989, a period marked by a significant decline in union membership. In his book, Stephen J. Silvia explores transnational union cooperation between the UAW and its counterparts in Brazil, France, Germany, and Japan, as well as the development of employer strategies aimed at thwarting unionization. Silvia demonstrates that unions must now engage in a multi-faceted campaign, fighting on three fronts: at the worksite, in the corporate boardroom, and in the political realm.

The UAW's Southern Gamble sheds light on the lessons learned from the union's unsuccessful campaigns in the South, highlighting the structural and legal barriers to union participation and providing valuable insights into effective worker organizing within and beyond the auto industry. Through detailed analysis and compelling storytelling, Silvia's book offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about labor rights and workplace representation.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501769696