Based on 20 years experience with the UAW, I came to the conclusion that their main focus is on the locals with the highest number of members and primarily on the Big Three auto manufacturers. The smaller a local's membership the less real representation they get and what representation they do get is of lesser quality. Basically, smaller locals exist mainly to feed the union coffers. Being a UAW member does NOT mean you get comparable wages, benefits, and protections nor anywhere close to what the Big Three UAW members get.
The first three union representation request cards were handed to me back at the beginning by strong union supporter employees. Over the next few years all three of them went nonunion salaried management and so did several committee members and about half of our local's presidents.
Union representation was voted down twice but passed the third time. The company was entirely to blame for it passing the third time as they failed to follow through with any of their promises made which was the sole reason the previous two votes rejected union representation. Soon after each vote things were back to the same old crap.
Like someone told me years ago, " You're miles ahead working with the threat of voting in union than you'd be with a union"...
