Click for more.
Workers at Webasto Detroit voted 276-133 in a National Labor Relations Board election to form a union. Workers at Webasto Detroit have been organizing for 2.5 years before the election, over concerns about favoritism, bullying by management, overwork, and scheduling issues,” the UAW said in a release. Webasto Detroit produces hard top roofs, primarily for the Ford Bronco.*
“Tonight, I am proud to welcome Webasto Detroit workers to the UAW family. These workers fought for years to form their union and faced another tough fight from the boss in this election. But they believed in one another and never gave up,” said UAW Region 1A Director Mark DePaoli. “Webasto Detroit workers have won a collective voice on the job, and now they’ll begin working to win the fair pay, time off, and safer working conditions they deserve.”**
“I’m thrilled we finally won our union. I’ve worked at Webasto for many years. We’re overworked and underpaid. We’re the ones who make money for the company. For too long, we’ve gotten nothing but disrespect from management. I’m ready for some mutual respect,” said Shara Bell, a Quality Technician for Webasto Detroit.***
Webasto Detroit workers join their colleagues at Webasto Pilot Road, who unionized with the UAW in 2023, and ratified their first contract in 2024.
The unionization at Webasto Detroit is “part of a growing movement of auto supply workers who want the benefits and protections of forming a union at their plants. Workers in the supply chain are a vital part of the auto industry but are paid well below their counterparts at assembly plants. They often face dangerous working conditions, including exposure to hazardous chemicals without proper precautions,” the UAW said.
Webasto Detroit workers join their colleagues at Webasto Pilot Road, who unionized with the UAW in 2023, and ratified their first contract in 2024.
*AutoInformed on
**About the UAW
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) says it is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy. UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals, and private non-profit organizations. The UAW has almost 400,000 active members and more than 580,000 retired members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
*** About Webasto
Since its founding in 1901, Webasto says it “has reinvented itself several times. This innovative strength has made the automotive supplier great. And in view of current challenges, it is more in demand than ever. Stockdorf – March 9, 2026 – The history of Webasto begins March 7, 1901 as a small craft business for sheet metal goods in Esslingen. Stamped parts, fittings, and parts for mousetraps are part of the portfolio of company founder Wilhelm Baier. [It is a family-owned European joint stock company that is not publicly traded – AutoCrat.]
“When the company moved to Stockdorf near Munich in 1908, it was given its current name, Webasto, an acronym formed from ‘Wilhelm Baier’” and ‘Stockdorf.’ The pioneering spirit that still characterizes the company today was evident early on: in Stockdorf, Webasto quickly found its way into the mobility sector, manufacturing luggage racks and mudguards for bicycles, which were the primary means of individual transportation at the time.
“When the automobile gained in importance in the 1930s, Webasto developed the first foldable fabric roof, followed shortly afterwards by the first vehicle heater. Webasto now also produces electric heaters and battery systems for electro-mobility, once again demonstrating how existing expertise can be successfully transferred to new technologies.
“Webasto, like the entire automotive industry, is undergoing profound change. ‘We are at a point where we need to do many things differently again,’ says Jörg Buchheim, CEO of Webasto. ‘We need to move faster and get closer to our customers in order to grow profitably. Our 125-year history gives us the confidence that we can successfully follow this path.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Webasto Detroit – Another UAW Supply Chain Win
Click for more.
Workers at Webasto Detroit voted 276-133 in a National Labor Relations Board election to form a union. Workers at Webasto Detroit have been organizing for 2.5 years before the election, over concerns about favoritism, bullying by management, overwork, and scheduling issues,” the UAW said in a release. Webasto Detroit produces hard top roofs, primarily for the Ford Bronco.*
“Tonight, I am proud to welcome Webasto Detroit workers to the UAW family. These workers fought for years to form their union and faced another tough fight from the boss in this election. But they believed in one another and never gave up,” said UAW Region 1A Director Mark DePaoli. “Webasto Detroit workers have won a collective voice on the job, and now they’ll begin working to win the fair pay, time off, and safer working conditions they deserve.”**
“I’m thrilled we finally won our union. I’ve worked at Webasto for many years. We’re overworked and underpaid. We’re the ones who make money for the company. For too long, we’ve gotten nothing but disrespect from management. I’m ready for some mutual respect,” said Shara Bell, a Quality Technician for Webasto Detroit.***
Webasto Detroit workers join their colleagues at Webasto Pilot Road, who unionized with the UAW in 2023, and ratified their first contract in 2024.
The unionization at Webasto Detroit is “part of a growing movement of auto supply workers who want the benefits and protections of forming a union at their plants. Workers in the supply chain are a vital part of the auto industry but are paid well below their counterparts at assembly plants. They often face dangerous working conditions, including exposure to hazardous chemicals without proper precautions,” the UAW said.
Webasto Detroit workers join their colleagues at Webasto Pilot Road, who unionized with the UAW in 2023, and ratified their first contract in 2024.
*AutoInformed on
**About the UAW
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) says it is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy. UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals, and private non-profit organizations. The UAW has almost 400,000 active members and more than 580,000 retired members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
*** About Webasto
Since its founding in 1901, Webasto says it “has reinvented itself several times. This innovative strength has made the automotive supplier great. And in view of current challenges, it is more in demand than ever. Stockdorf – March 9, 2026 – The history of Webasto begins March 7, 1901 as a small craft business for sheet metal goods in Esslingen. Stamped parts, fittings, and parts for mousetraps are part of the portfolio of company founder Wilhelm Baier. [It is a family-owned European joint stock company that is not publicly traded – AutoCrat.]
“When the company moved to Stockdorf near Munich in 1908, it was given its current name, Webasto, an acronym formed from ‘Wilhelm Baier’” and ‘Stockdorf.’ The pioneering spirit that still characterizes the company today was evident early on: in Stockdorf, Webasto quickly found its way into the mobility sector, manufacturing luggage racks and mudguards for bicycles, which were the primary means of individual transportation at the time.
“When the automobile gained in importance in the 1930s, Webasto developed the first foldable fabric roof, followed shortly afterwards by the first vehicle heater. Webasto now also produces electric heaters and battery systems for electro-mobility, once again demonstrating how existing expertise can be successfully transferred to new technologies.
“Webasto, like the entire automotive industry, is undergoing profound change. ‘We are at a point where we need to do many things differently again,’ says Jörg Buchheim, CEO of Webasto. ‘We need to move faster and get closer to our customers in order to grow profitably. Our 125-year history gives us the confidence that we can successfully follow this path.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.