UAW STRIKES BIG THREE

The United Auto Workers have walked out on strike against the so-called Big Three in American automobile manufacturing in a new stand-up strike strategy where only certain plants are struck in a slowly expanding strike designed to inflict the most pain on the companies and minimize pain for the workers. For the first time in history, the union is striking all three companies at once as they attempt to single-handedly reverse the crushing of the American middle-class and make history.

Three plants were chosen to begin the strike on September 15th, one from each company. A GM plant in Wentzville, MO, a Ford plant in Wayne, Michigan, and a Stellantis plant in Toledo, Ohio. More plants will be announced if a deal is not reached. Unifor, the Canadian version of the UAW, is also in negotiations.

The UAW’s is demanding:
• Wage increases of around 40%
• Reinstating cost of living protections
• Ending the two-tier system for wages and benefits
• Job security in the electric vehicle transition

A side-effect of the Wentzville, Missouri plant strike is that the factory produces parts for the Fairfax, Kansas GM Assembly plant. That plant has had to halt production due to a “shortage of critical stampings.” Roughly 2,000 workers work at the plant.

UAW members made major concessions during the 2008 financial crisis. The UAW is asking automakers for a 36% pay increase across a four- year contract. The closest a company has come is 21% over 4 years.

Here are some important facts from the Economic Policy Institute to consider:

companies—Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis— skyrocketed 92% from 2013 to 2022, totaling $250 billion. Forecasts for 2023 expect more than $32 billion in additional profits.

• CEO pay at the Big 3 companies has jumped by 40% during the same period and the companies paid out nearly $66 billion inshareholder dividend payments and stock buybacks.

• Autoworker concessions made following the 2008 auto industry crisis were never reinstated, including a suspension of cost- of-living adjustments. As a result, workers’ wages in the union and nonunion sector alike are falling farther behind inflation: Across the U.S., auto manufacturing workers have seen their average real hourly earnings fall 19.3% since 2008.

• Broadly sharing profits with workers will be even more critical as the industry focuses on becoming greener—both in what and how they produce cars and trucks. The Big 3 firms are set to receive record taxpayer- funded incentives to support their expansion into electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. EV transition policies and the economic and climate potential they promise will not be sustained if auto workers and auto communities are again asked to sacrifice good jobs.

• The companies complain that paying workers more would put them at a competitive disadvantage. But even after making their research and development (R&D) and capital expenditures, the Big 3’s $250 billion in profits since 2013 amounts to nearly $1.7 million for each of the roughly 150,000workers covered by UAW collective bargaining agreements. What’s more, the automakers are set to receive record taxpayer- funded incentives to support their expansion into electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing.

UAW International President Shawn Fain said the following in a live video to members on Facebook: “We’ve been available 24/7 to bargain a deal that recognizes our members sacrifices and contributions to these record profits. Still the Big Three failed to get down to business.”

“That’s why, last week, our brave union family at Wentzville Assembly, Toledo Assembly, and final assembly and paint departments at Michigan Assembly were called on to Stand Up and go out on strike. And that’s exactly what they did.

“Just as importantly, all the rest of you stayed on the job. That is the only way this strategy works. We’re going to keep hitting the company where we need to, when we need to. And we’re not going to keep waiting around forever while they drag this out.

“I have been clear with the Big Three every step of the way. And I’m going to be crystal clear again right now. If we don’t make serious progress by noon on Friday, September 22nd, more locals will be called on to Stand Up and join the strike. That will mark more than a week since our first members walked out. And that will mark more than a week of the Big Three failing to make progress in negotiations toward reaching a deal that does right by our members.