UAW to expand strike at Ford and GM, Fain says
The United Auto Workers union is expanding its strike to additional facilities of automakers Ford and GM, the UAW head said on Friday, adding that additional Stellantis members will not be called to go on strike.
New York CNN
The United Auto Workers union has expanded its strike to include additional Ford and GM facilities, said the UAW chief on Friday. He added that more Stellantis members would not be called out on strike.
He said that the new plants going on strike will be Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant and GM Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant in Michigan.
Fain told a livestreamed audience that he knew the process would not be fast. He said that he was excited by the momentum of Stellantis, and hoped it would continue.
UAW President Shawn Fain stated that Ford and GM had not made enough progress to meet union demands despite a 15-day strike. He called for an expansion of the strike to increase the pressure on the bargaining table.
Fain clarified that the negotiations had not ended. We're still in contact with all three companies. I am still hopeful that we can come to an agreement that will reflect the sacrifices and contributions made by our members over the past decade.
The UAW began the walkouts in September with an intentional work stoppage of 12,700 members from one assembly plant per company. This was the first strike by the union against three unionized automakers.
It added a number of 38 parts and distributor centers in 20 states operated by GM, Stellantis and GM. However, it did not extend the strike against Ford as that automaker made significant progress during negotiations.
Fain, the UAW president, has also called for an additional 7,000 Ford and GM workers to strike.
Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator and Buick Enclave are now available with the new facility.
These four SUVs are the backbone of both companies' product lines. Ford and GM will face a financial challenge if they stop production of these four SUVs.
The union has been offered by the three companies an immediate increase of at least 10% to the 145,000 UAW employees at each company, and another 10 percentage point general wage increases during the term of the proposed agreement. This deal is expected to last until spring 2028.
The union wants to see a significant increase in wages, as well as better pension and health benefits. This is a reversal of concessions made between 2007 and 2009, when all automakers were facing financial difficulties and GM and Stellantis' predecessor Chrysler were headed for bankruptcy and requiring federal bailout.
The union wants'record contracts' now that the companies are making or close to record profits.
Three days after President Joe Biden visited a picket-line for the first time, the strike has expanded. He told the members they were being underpaid and encouraged them to remain strong with their demands.