History

The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Shawn Fain page on 8 February 2026, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Shawn Fain (born October 30, 1968) is an American labor unionist who has served as president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) since March 2023. An electrician by trade, he worked at a Stellantis automotive parts plant in Kokomo, Indiana. He has been a UAW member since 1994, and is a member of the reform caucus, Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD). The first UAW president directly elected by union members, Fain was a central figure in the 2023 United Auto Workers strike.

In 2023, Fain ran for the presidency of the union against incumbent Ray Curry, leading a slate named UAW Members United that focused on opposing corruption, concessions, and tiered pay structures. In the first election in which members of the union directly elected the president, Fain won the election by 477 votes and took office in March.

In office, he advocates a more aggressive negotiating style, more member participation, and for the union to actively support politicians who share the union's agenda. Fain's relative labor militancy and bargaining style contributed to the UAW's decision to authorize the 2023 United Auto Workers strike. The strike resulted in wage increases, cost of living adjustments, and the elimination of the tiered wage system.

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