UAW Unleashes “Wave Of Reinforcements” As Strikes Intensify At Ford & GM Amid Strained Talks; Progress Seen With Stellantis

United Auto Workers boss Shawn Fain announced Friday morning in a live-stream event that strikes against two of Detroit’s automakers – General Motors and Ford – will be hit by another wave of strikes. The union boss said Chrysler-parent Stellantis had made meaningful progress on a new four-year labor contract and will skirt around additional strikes this week.  

Fain said he’s calling on an additional 7,000 workers across Ford and GM to strike at noon. He asked workers at Ford’s Chicago assembly and GM’s Lansing Delta Township to “stand up” and go on strike at 1200 ET. 

Fain said expanded strikes would add 7,000 striking workers. At the moment, 12% of the union’s 146,000 workers at the Detroit automakers. 

“Our courageous members at these two plants are the next wave of reinforcements in our fight for record contracts,” the union boss said. He added, “We are not calling on additional members at Stellantis to go on strike because moments before this broadcast, the automaker made significant progress on the contract.” 

Fain said, “We are excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues … until then, we will keep building our arsenal of democracy and will win – our strategy is working.” 

Watch the broadcast here:

On Tuesday, Biden joined the picket line in an unprecedented move by a president. 

“Mr. President, should the UAW get a 40% [pay] increase?”

BIDEN: *confused* pic.twitter.com/Ya8LbCOimv

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 26, 2023

Then a report by Bloomberg disclosed on Thursday that UAW has reduced its pay hike demands from 40% to 30% with automakers over a new four-year labor contract.