Walter ReutherWalter Philip Reuther ( ; September 1, 1907 – May 9, 1970) was an American leader of organized labor and civil rights activist who built the United Automobile Workers (UAW) into one of the most progressive labor unions in American history. He considered labor movements not as narrow special interest groups but as instruments to advance social justice and human rights in democratic societies.
Labor unions in the United StatesLabor unions in the United StatesHotel union workers strike with the slogan "One job should be enough"National organization(s)AFL-CIO, SOC, IWWRegulatory authorityUnited States Department of Labor National Labor Relations BoardPrimary legislationNational Labor Relations Act Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 Taft–Hartley ActTotal union membership14.7 million (2025)Percentage of workforce unionized10.0% (2025) Public: 32.9% Private: 5.9% International Labour OrganizationUnited States is a member of the ILOConvention ratificationFreedom of AssociationNot ratifiedRight to OrganiseNot ratified This article is part of a series on theEconomy ofthe United States History Agricultural Banking Dollar Lumber Petroleum Tariff Technological and industrial Sectors Primary sector Agriculture Energy Petroleum Electricity Mining Fishing Forestry Water and sanitation Secondary sector Automotive Iron and steel Pulp and paper Tertiary sector Social programs Transportation Tourism Education Gambling Healthcare Insurance Financial services Central bank Banking Largest banks Largest companies Economy by state California Texas New York Florida more...Trade unionA trade union (British English) or labor/labour union (North American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages and benefits, improving working conditions and safety standards, establishing complaint procedures, developing rules governing the status of employees (including rules on promotions and just-cause conditions for termination), and protecting and increasing the bargaining power of workers.
Volkswagen and unionsWorkers of the German auto manufacturer Volkswagen Group are collectively organized and represented by unions and Works Councils across the globe. Workers are organized on multiple levels; locally, regionally, nationally, internationally and by marque. Within Germany, the role of the union IG Metall and Works Councils at Volkswagen is unique, even compared with other large auto firms.
Congress of Industrial OrganizationsThe Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. Originally created in 1935 as a committee within the American Federation of Labor (AFL) by John L. Lewis, a leader of the United Mine Workers (UMW), and called the Committee for Industrial Organization. Its name was changed in 1938 when it broke away from the AFL.
Big Three (automobile manufacturers)In the United States automotive industry, the term Big Three is used for the country's three largest motor vehicle manufacturers, especially indicating companies that sell under multiple brand names. The term originated in the United States, where General Motors was the first to form a large, multi-brand, motor-vehicle corporation (in the 1910s), followed by the Ford Motor Company, and the Chrysler Corporation, all before World War II.
GlobalizationIncreasing worldwide interdependenceTop-left: showing early migration patterns of humans across the globe as part of the history of globalization. Top-right: the Namban ship carrying Europeans to trade with Japan. Middle-left: the headquarters of the United Nations in international territory within Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
AutomationUse of various control systems for operating equipmentMinimum human intervention is required to control many large facilities, such as this electrical generating station.Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, mainly by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines.
Automotive industryOrganizations involved with motor vehiclesThe automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organisations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, selling, repairing, and modification of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industries by revenue with global automotive market at ~$2.75 trillion in 2025.
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico (abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a self-governingCaribbeanarchipelago and island organized as an unincorporated territory of the United States under the designation of commonwealth.
Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is a primary region of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada, with approximately 14.7 million people or about 36% of Canada's population of 41 million. The region lies south of the province's other primary region, Northern Ontario, although the exact northern boundary of Southern Ontario is disputed.
North American Free Trade AgreementThe North American Free Trade Agreement (Spanish: Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; French: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA), referred to colloquially in the Anglosphere as NAFTA ( ), was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that created a trilateral trade bloc in North America.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.