Analysts say that the UAW could lose up to 50,000 jobs at Detroit's Big Three automakers and two major suppliers over the next four years. However, they also note that the bulk of job losses will occur through attrition and early retirement, not from layoffs at plants that will be closed or sold as part of labor agreements between the union and the auto companies. The job losses reflect the steady decline of U.S. market share among Detroit's Big Three automakers in the face of intense foreign competition.
See "UAW May Lose Up to 50, 000 Jobs in 4 Years", The New York Times, September 23, 2003