[Wayne, Michigan] U.S. Big 3 automakers — General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis — were hit by a massive strike from the United Auto Workers (UAW) on Friday morning. The move came after the union and car manufacturers couldn’t solidify a contract agreement before the Thursday midnight deadline.
Shawn Fain, UAW president, had already identified the manufacturing plants that would be impacted if no tentative agreement was inked. When Friday dawned, around 12,700 union workers from GM in Wentzville, Missouri, Stellantis in Toledo, Ohio, and Ford’s Wayne, Michigan plant were on strike.
The unique “stand-up” strike means not all union members will strike simultaneously.
President Joe Biden, addressing the nation from the White House, extended his support to the UAW strikers. Highlighting the record profits of these automakers, Biden emphasized that these financial milestones should equate to record contracts for the UAW. “Workers deserve a fair share,” Biden declared, urging both parties to find common ground.
In an impassioned message, Fain articulated the strike as a generational defining moment. “This is a stand for ourselves, our families, and our communities,” Fain echoed.
The day before the US autoworker strike, demands from the UAW and the automaker offers were distinctly apart. While the union sought a 46% pay increase over four years with a 32-hour workweek at 40-hour pay, the companies’ offers were significantly lower. Ford, in a statement, expressed disappointment at the UAW’s terms, dubbing them “unsustainable.”
The Ford Motor Company stressed its commitment to ensuring both the well-being of its employees and safeguarding the company’s future investments.
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