Are Auto Companies In Major Trouble?

On the morning of Friday, September 15th, 2023, the U.A.W, United Auto Workers Union in Detroit joined Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio in striking against 3 of the big car manufacturing companies; Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.

The U.A.W strike is not an ordinary strike. It is being called the “Stand Up Strike” because rather than targeting the entire industry, the union is fighting against individual factories and will be negotiating different agreements with each. 

The striking began when the auto companies failed to meet an agreement on Friday when the workers' requests for increased wages and retirement benefits. Shawn Gains, president of the U.A.W. said in an interview from Detroit Free Press, “We’re not asking to be millionaires, we're not asking to join the billionaires class, we’re asking for our fair share of the fruits of our labor.” The U.A.W is asking for a 36% pay raise over 4 years. As told from the Washington Post, ”Full-time workers make about $18 to $32 an hour while CEOs at the Big Three companies each made more than $20 million in overall compensation last year.” The workers show no sign of backing down yet and will fight until the demands are met. 

With the U.A.W. joining in the act of striking, following the footsteps of the W.G.A and SAG/AFTRA, which have both been on strike for months, which union will be the next to hop on the picket line?