Rep. Haley Stevens Introduces the Union Auto Workers Job Protection Act to Safeguard American Jobs and Hold Federal Contractors Accountable
Bill strengthens transparency, protects workers’ rights, and ensures fairness in federal vehicle manufacturing contracts
Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced the Union Auto Workers Job Protection Act, landmark legislation designed to protect union jobs, strengthen labor standards, and ensure federal vehicle manufacturing contracts deliver on their promise to American workers.
This bill is in response to the Oshkosh Defense Contract in 2021 when the United States Postal Service (USPS) awarded Oshkosh Defense a multibillion-dollar contract to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) fleet. The contract was expected to benefit Oshkosh, Wisconsin’s skilled unionized workforce, who have a long history of building high-quality vehicles for the nation.
Instead, Oshkosh Defense announced plans to build a new facility over 800 miles away at a non-union facility in South Carolina, cutting out the very workers who were best positioned to fulfill the contract.
“This is a textbook example of corporate bait-and-switch,” said Rep. Stevens. “American taxpayers and the Postal Service expected union-built vehicles, made by experienced workers in the midwest. Instead, the contract is being used to bypass skilled union labor and exploit loopholes in the contracting process. My bill fixes the existing contract and will make sure this never happens again.”
"The Union Auto Workers Job Protection Act matters because it stops corporations from pulling bait-and-switch deals—making promises to workers and communities, then running off to pay poverty wages somewhere else.”
“When Oshkosh Corp won the contract to build the USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, workers and families in Oshkosh, Wisconsin believed the jobs would stay in their union plant, where generations of UAW members have built safe, reliable vehicles. Instead, the company abandoned that promise, moving production to a non-union facility in South Carolina—betraying workers, the community, and taxpayers who expected union jobs and accountability.
“This bill is about putting the brakes on corporate greed and making sure that kind of betrayal doesn’t happen again. It’s about fairness, keeping jobs in our communities, and guaranteeing that workers have a real voice in the decisions that shape their lives." said Brandon Campbell UAW Region 4 Director.
The bill ensures transparency, accountability, and respect for workers in federal vehicle manufacturing contracts by:
Shining a light on contracts – Companies must say where vehicles will be built, what workers will be paid, how many are temporary, and whether there are any labor or safety violations.
Protecting workers’ right to organize – Federal contractors must remain neutral if workers choose to unionize.
Locking in plant locations – Contracts must clearly state where vehicles will be assembled and what work will happen at each plant.
Stopping surprise relocations – Companies can’t move production without agency approval, immediate union notification, and full disclosure of pay and labor conditions at the new site.
Fixing the USPS deal – Makes sure Oshkosh Defense doesn’t receive additional funding for the current Postal Service contract until it adopts a union neutrality agreement. .
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