2023-09-15 04:47:27
In a first-of-its-kind step, the influential United Auto Workers (UAW) union is simultaneously going on strike at plants belonging to the three major US car manufacturers General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. The work stoppages began on Friday night following the deadline for collective bargaining expired. A prolonged nationwide strike in the auto industry might have a significant impact on the US economy.
In the negotiations, the UAW, which has around 150,000 members, is demanding a 36 percent increase in income over four years. The car manufacturers were prepared for increases of up to 20 percent over a period of four and a half years. However, new UAW Chairman Shawn Fain stressed that the offers were insufficient given high inflation and the companies’ healthy profits.
The strike began on Friday night (local time) at the GM plant in Missouri, a Stellantis plant in Ohio and a Ford factory in Michigan. The work stoppages affect several popular models such as the Jeep Wrangler. The labor dispute also puts President Joe Biden in a quandary: He has traditionally been very pro-union, but a setback for the US economy might reduce his hopes of being re-elected in just over a year.
According to the US President’s Office, Biden spoke to the union and the executive boards of automobile companies on Thursday regarding the status of collective bargaining. According to a report in the Washington Post, the government is currently preparing emergency aid to help smaller auto suppliers in the event of a strike by major American car manufacturers. The White House has not yet commented on this.
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