UAW Leads Massive GOTV Effort to Counter Corporate Influence in Elections

DETROIT – The United Auto Workers (UAW) has launched its most extensive and powerful get-out-the-vote (GOTV) initiative to date, leveraging the momentum from the Stand Up Strike to mobilize members against the influence of affluent interests in politics.

Since August, an impressive force of more than 5,000 UAW volunteers across the country has been actively engaging union members, retirees, and their families with a compelling message centered on supporting workers and opposing corporate greed. These volunteers have been involved in various activities, including mobilization events, phone banking, and door-to-door canvassing, to connect with a vast number of voters. In Michigan alone, UAW members have visited over 250,000 homes in the campaign's last month, highlighting the union's determination to engage its members in crucial battleground regions.

“When members hear directly from other members about what’s at stake, we break through and change minds,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “By engaging our members and highlighting the issues that matter—their paychecks, their families, and their futures—our union has been critical to defeating Trump and making sure working-class issues are at the forefront of this election.”

As the largest working-class political force in Michigan, with over 300,000 active and retired members, the UAW has ramped up efforts by enlisting more than 3,000 members in the battleground state since August. These members have been conducting one-on-one discussions at worksites and within their communities, while also running a worker-focused digital, mail, and phone program.

The union's internal targets have been surpassed, with 2,000 shifts deployed to reach 100,000 union households in Michigan during the final GOTV push over the last weekend.

“All our work in this election has come down to one question, ‘Which side are you on?’” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “In this election, we made sure our members had the information they needed to cast their vote based on each candidate’s own words and action. For our union, the choice is clear: Harris stands with us and Trump is a scab.”

The phrase “Trump Is a Scab” gained traction when Fain donned a T-shirt with the words during a speech at the Democratic National Convention in August.

The UAW has also actively supported candidates for down-ballot positions, such as Sherrod Brown in Ohio, Dan Osborn in Nebraska, and Elissa Slotkin in Michigan, by organizing events, rallies, and campaign launches in numerous states nationwide.

An internal survey conducted in these states reveals that Kamala Harris is leading Donald Trump by 22 points among UAW members and member households. Her advantage increases to 29 points among members who received information about the election from the UAW. Significantly, Harris now holds a five-point lead among white UAW members without a college degree, a group that has previously shown a preference for Trump.

The UAW’s 2023 Stand Up strike sparked this successful strategy, which aimed to disseminate factual information, unite the working class, and empower members to lead. The “Stand Up, Speak Up, Show Up” campaign mobilized a significant effort to challenge corporate interests at the polls.

UAW members are encouraged to visit UAWStandUp2024.org for resources, videos, flyers, and factual information on candidate records as we approach November 5th.