Autoworkers’ emotions — from excitement to fear and apprehension — are running high as the United Auto Workers launches an unprecedented strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis at once.
Autoworkers’ emotions — from excitement to fear and apprehension — are running high as their union, the United Auto Workers, launches an unprecedented strike against the Big Three automakers.
For the first time in history, the UAW is striking against all three major Detroit automakers at once after failing to reach a deal on pay, pensions and other benefits with the auto companies.
Under the bold gamble unveiled by UAW President Shawn Fain, workers at only three Midwestern plants — a General Motors plant in Wentzville, Missouri, a Stellantis plant in Toledo, Ohio, and part of a Ford plant in Wayne, Mich. — walked off the job on Friday. They represent about 9% of the nearly 150,000 UAW members employed by the three companies.
Fain put workers at other plants on notice that they could be called on to walk out at any time. He has said the option for a strike of all members remains on the table. ‘Play hardball’
Jerry Coleman, a long-time temporary employee working 70 hours a week at the Stellantis Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio, has welcomed Fain’s tough rhetoric.
But on Friday morning, as he headed to his union hall and then to the picket line, Coleman said he was underwhelmed by the strike launch.
“Honestly, I think he was soft,” he said of Fain. “To get back what we’ve lost, I feel he should have hit six to 10 major plants and facilities to let them know, ‘Hey, look, this is serious!'”
If the automakers are going to play hardball, Coleman says, then play hardball.
Fain has defended his strategy.
“This is going to create confusion for the companies,” Fain told union members earlier this week.
