UAW faces internal divisions while seeking political influence in Shelby Township
Walter Usakowski spoke with union canvassers outside his Shelby Township home during election outreach. The discussions show split loyalties among autoworkers before the upcoming Nov. 3 midterms. Usakowski worked at Ford Motor Co.’s Sterling Axle Plant for more than 45 years.
The retired member said he backs the union slate of Democrats. Usakowski said many plant peers supported Republican President Donald Trump.
The UAW is trying to reassert influence across Michigan. Members disagree on which party best represents working-class interests. The union also faces past scandals and falling membership numbers.
JJ Jewell serves on the UAW Community Action Program executive committee. Jewell canvassed members in Macomb County on a recent Saturday.
“It’s not going to be an overnight thing. Even if this election goes fantastically, that’s not mission accomplished. That means we’re 1% of the way done.”
Trump won Macomb County by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024. Most suburban retirees visited by canvassers named living costs as their top concern. Residents differed on which party would handle the problem better.
One voter said she blamed billionaires and planned to vote Democratic. A couple on another street backed Trump and refused a flyer. Union voters remain divided.
In 2024, households with a union member split between candidates. More than half voted for then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump received 44% of that vote.
UAW member Betty Anderson expressed anger toward members who backed Trump. She said she is not confident about resolving internal divides.
“I don’t think those people are ever going to be on our side. They think they have an opportunity to be in an elite class.”
Rebuilding trust after corruption
More than 10 UAW officials pleaded guilty in a corruption investigation since 2017. The inquiry found millions of dollars in union dues were stolen. Members also criticized closed-door contract talks.
Shawn Fain won election as UAW president in 2023 promising transparency. Contract wins against Detroit automakers helped restore member trust.
Usakowski said members are beginning to fall in line. Regional director Mark DePaoli said the union held open forums with political candidates.
The UAW endorsed progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate. He defeated four-term congresswoman Haley Stevens in the primary.
Stevens worked on an auto bailout task force during the Great Recession. DePaoli said few expected the union to back El-Sayed over her.
The union cited El-Sayed’s healthcare stance and views on corporate money. Spokesperson Cole Wozniak said union backing proved critical in El-Sayed’s primary victory.
Republican candidate Mike Rogers opposes federal regulations requiring more electric vehicle manufacturing. Spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet said Rogers will champion autoworkers in the Senate.
Membership changes and turnout efforts
Labor professor Robert Bruno teaches at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He said union power depends on mobilizing voters directly.
“You don’t win campaigns off of your endorsements. You win campaigns at the door, or at the bar, or at the union hall.”
Michigan had more than 600,000 active and retired members in the 1980s. State membership now stands near 350,000 people. It remains the largest union in Michigan.
About 113,000 members voted early in the August primary, according to the union. Canvassers continue calling voters across Shelby Township before Election Day.
The union hosted a Michigan political arm conference in Lansing this September. Fain spoke to reporters there after preliminary vote totals showed his reelection.
“We are as active as we can be right now,” Fain said.
Labor organizations run political programs to register voters and organize campaign drives. Volunteers walk neighborhoods to deliver literature and discuss ballot choices with residents.
Union leaders hope voter turnout in Macomb County builds support for their candidates.
