UAW President Shawn Fain declares victory in race for second term

By Kalea Hall DETROIT, Oct 9 (Reuters) United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain declared victory on Friday in a race to maintain his position as head of the 400,000-member union. Fain, 57, who rose to national prominence during a 2023 strike against General ​Motors, Ford and Chrysler-parent Stellantis, received a majority of the votes and easily topped ‌five challengers, according to preliminary ballot totals released by a federal monitor overseeing the vote. Fain had widely been expected to win the balloting, which the Detroit Three automakers were watching closely as they look ahead to 2028 contract negotiations. The companies are wary of raising their labor costs at a time when the auto industry is ‌grappling ​with weaker vehicle demand and intensifying competition. “One thing I know about ⁠our membership is they re ready ⁠to fight,” Fain said in an interview with Reuters. “They know they deserve better. And let s not fool ourselves. All these companies are massively profitable.”