The results are in
Shawn Fain is officially staying put. Despite a campaign season lowkey plagued by drama and investigations, the United Auto Workers (UAW) president just crushed his re-election bid. He walked away with over 68% of the vote, leaving his main challenger, Rich Boyer, in the dust with only about 13%.
Fain’s entire slate of candidates, "United UAW," also secured victories across the board. The voting process kicked off with mail-in ballots back in August, and the final count wrapped up this Friday.
The real tea
The road to this win wasn't exactly smooth. Fain has been dealing with an investigation from the Department of Justice since July 2026. The allegations? He supposedly pressured Boyer to hook up his fiancee and sister with benefits, then allegedly retaliated when Boyer didn't play along. Fain has consistently denied everything, claiming the whole situation was just a shady attempt to sabotage his campaign.
He hasn't exactly been on good terms with the union’s independent monitor, Neil Barofsky, either. Fain has claimed the monitor was being weaponized against him by his opposition and even clashed over the UAW’s vocal stance on a ceasefire in Gaza.
Why it matters
For the members, this win means it’s business as usual. Fain is already looking ahead to the 2027 contract negotiations at John Deere, Volvo, and General Dynamics Land Systems, plus the massive "Big Three" automaker contracts that are set to expire on May Day 2028.
Fain famously led the historic six-week strike against GM, Ford, and Stellantis back in 2023—the one where Joe Biden made history as the first sitting president to join a picket line. It’s giving main character energy for the labor movement, and Fain says he's ready to keep fighting against corporate greed. As he put it, "The membership has spoken. UAW members are united and want us to keep fighting."
