The United Auto Workers and the Detroit Three automakers have resumed talks aimed at ending a strike that is now entering its fourth day and faces the threat that it could quickly spread.
Strantis said talks with unions resumed on Monday, calling them “constructive.” A GM spokesman said negotiations continued between the company and representatives from the United Auto Workers union.
However, UAW President Shawn Fain said on NPR that “we still have a long way to go” and if the companies don’t respond to the union’s demands, “then we will escalate our actions.”
Fein said in a video statement late Monday that more factories could be targeted if “significant progress” was not made toward a deal by noon on Friday.
“We’re not messing around,” he said.
The strike has so far been limited to about 13,000 workers at three plants – one each for General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler successor Stellantis.
However, the union’s strategy hinges on its ability to quickly escalate strikes, with automakers warning of possible job cuts as limited strikes reduce the amount of materials needed at plants that remain operational.
General Motors said on Monday that 2,000 UAW-represented workers at a Kansas City assembly plant “expect to be idle as soon as early this week” because of supply shortages at a GM plant near St. Louis where workers went on strike Friday.
workers are Kansas City Factory Makes the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4.
Strikes may also begin to affect suppliers and their employees. CIE Newcor told Michigan officials that it expects four factories in the state to close for a month starting Oct. 2, idling nearly 300 workers.
The Biden administration has stepped up its response, showing concern about the strike’s potential economic and political impact.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she hoped for a speedy resolution, but added that it was too early to assess the impact of the strike.
“It’s too early to predict what this will mean for the economy. It will depend on how long the strike lasts and who will be affected,” she said on CNBC.
Yellen says labor activism this year — strikes hollywood writer and actorEmployees at about 150 Starbucks stores went on strike, narrowly averting a strike United Parcel Service and west coast ports – have been served by strong labor market and high demand for workers.
President Joe Biden is Send two senior government officials Traveled to Detroit to meet with both parties. In brief public comments, Biden backed the United Auto Workers union and said automakers were not sharing record profits fairly with workers.
An administration official said Monday that acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and top aide Gene Sperling will not serve as mediators — they will not be at the negotiating table — but will to Detroit “to help support negotiations as the parties see fit.” Be constructive. ” The official was not authorized to discuss private discussions and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Fein says Biden administration won’t broker deal
“This is our fight. Our members are out there manning the picket lines,” he said Monday on MSNBC. “This battle is not about the president, nor is it about the former president” – Report reference Former President Trump plans to skip next week’s Republican presidential debate and travel to Detroit to meet with striking autoworkers.
A key feature of the UAW strategy is the threat to escalate a strike if the union is dissatisfied with the progress of negotiations.
Ford workers picketed outside a plant in the Detroit suburb of Wayne on Monday, joined by other union members and the occasional politician.
Tevita Uhatafe, an aircraft maintenance worker from Arlington, Texas, expressed support and saw what could happen if UAW members went on strike at the GM truck plant in her hometown.
“This fight could very well be happening in our backyard,” Uhatav said.
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., said she took to the picket lines because the strike “demonstrates a modern movement for worker justice and worker equity.”
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