DETROIT — The top priority for the United Auto Workers union now is to organize nonunion workers at U.S. Toyota factories and those of other foreign automakers, the union’s new president said Thursday.
Bob King, who was elected to the post Wednesday, said the union must fight for greater rights to organize nonunion workers. That includes lobbying for passage of the federal Employee Free Choice Act, which would allow workers to join unions simply by filling out a card.
King spent much of his speech criticizing Toyota and said the UAW would conduct a banner campaign at its dealerships. The banners will say that Toyota puts profits before people, King said.
There are no unionized Toyota plants in the U.S.
“Our goal is to provide a safe work environment and good pay and benefits, and we work hard to manage our business with employment stability in mind,” said Toyota spokesman Mike Goss.
King, 63, succeeds Ron Gettelfinger, who is retiring.
After his speech, King led roughly 1,100 delegates on a march through downtown Detroit to demand that Wall Street pay for the damage caused by the recession and that it stop opposing financial reform.
