UAW Okays Strikes At Detroit Three Automakers

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Friday said members voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike at the Detroit Three automakers if an agreement is not reached before the current four-year contract expires on Sept. 14, Joseph White, David Shepardson and Shivansh Tiwary reported for Reuters.

The strike authorization was approved by 97% of voting members at General Motors, Ford Motor, and StellantisI Photo: UAW International Union Facebook

The authorization was approved by 97% of voting members at General Motors, Ford Motor, and Stellantis, said UAW President Shawn Fain, who leads the union that represents about 150,000 workers.

Fain reiterated that the union did not plan to extend the deadline to get a new labor contract.

"The deadline is Sept. 14. We have a lot of options that we are looking at, but extension on the contract is not one of them."

Separately, President Joe Biden, who met with Fain last month, told reporters in Nevada he is concerned about a potential UAW strike.

"I think that there should be a circumstance where jobs that are being displaced are replaced with new jobs" for UAW members "and the salaries should be commensurate."

Some senators want national UAW agreements to cover jobs at battery joint ventures that currently pay less.

Fain said workers had made numerous concessions over the last two decades including giving up wage hikes, defined benefit pensions, and post-retirement health care benefits.

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