• UAW leader Shawn Fain supports Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on foreign vehicles and parts to incentivize automakers to restore U.S. manufacturing jobs.
• Fain criticized automakers for offshoring practices, citing examples like Stellantis’ Warren Truck Assembly Plant, where 2,000 jobs were lost to Mexico.
• He urged automakers to act swiftly, stating that restoring operations in existing plants could happen “overnight.”

The head of the United Auto Workers (UAW), Shawn Fain, has called for swift action to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. Speaking Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Fain emphasized that President Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on foreign vehicles and auto parts could incentivize automakers to reopen factories and restore jobs domestically. He urged car companies to reverse their offshoring practices, such as at Stellantis’ Warren Truck Assembly Plant, where 2,000 workers lost their jobs after production of the Ram 1500 Classic moved to Mexico.

Fain highlighted how quickly automakers could act to restore jobs: “They could shift that work back in very short order and start producing Ram trucks again,” he stated. He also noted that 75% of Volkswagen vehicles sold in North America are manufactured in Mexico, underscoring the pressing need for change.

Tariffs: A Tool for Economic Change

Fain, who has been both critical of and aligned with Trump on key labor issues, said tariffs could be a strategic mechanism to promote domestic manufacturing. “Tariffs are a tool to get companies to do the right thing—invest in the American workforce,” Fain explained. He praised Trump’s push to challenge free-trade policies like NAFTA, which he believes have adversely impacted the U.S. working class.

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However, Fain has previously criticized Trump for allowing auto plants to shutter during his first term and for his decision last week to end collective bargaining rights for federal labor unions in security-related agencies. Despite their differences, Fain supported Trump’s tariff plans to address decades of neglect toward working-class Americans.

A Call to Automakers

Fain directly challenged automakers to act responsibly, stating, “There’s plenty of opportunity for these companies to bring work back here overnight, just as quickly as they moved it out.” He added that building new plants may take time, but restoring existing operations can happen immediately.

The UAW leader’s remarks arrive as policymakers and stakeholders in Washington grapple with how to strengthen domestic manufacturing. The focus now shifts to whether tariffs can deliver tangible benefits for American workers.

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