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The United Auto Workers has unveiled plans to try to unionise almost 150,000 employees at 13 carmakers with nonunion plants in the US, aiming to seize momentum after it won significant contract concessions from Detroit’s big three manufacturers.

On Wednesday the UAW launched a campaign to organise US plants operated by BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The union wrested big pay rises and other benefits from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis earlier this month after a six-week strike against the companies.

The public nature of the drive is unusual, as organisers ordinarily work in secret to win support from workers at each plant.