Luís Millan, online publishing coordinator

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is entering its second week of striking, and has committed to striking two of ‘Detroit’s Big Three’ companies, encompassing the 38 plants that are owned by GM and Stellantis. Ramped up pressure for contract negotiations have stalled the plant’s production in the historic strike of size, strategy and presidential support. 

According to NBC News, UAW union has been striking against ‘Detroit’s Big Three’ – General Motors, Ford and Stellantis – since Sept. 15, after worker contracts were set to expire by midnight of Sept. 14. After initial and rocky contract negotiations, a series of sporadic walk-outs and picketing started across Detroit Three plants around the country. According to CBS News, prior to the contract expiration, members of the union had discussed striking for extended worker rights within the new four year contract under the leadership of UAW President Shawn Fain. 

In their sequence of sporadic strikes, the UAW demands a non-negotiable increase of wages of 36-40% in their updated contracts. According to CBS, workers have also demanded a 32 hour work week, removal of tiered pay and improved retiree benefits. “The companies rejected pay raises for retirees who haven’t [received] one in over a decade,” Fain stated in a press conference to AP News. There is also talk of compensating workers when their location shuts down and retaining job security for workers. Demands from the union have also pointed out the Detroit Three’s 30-40% growth of profit margins.

Thousands of workers across all 38 of the GM and Stellantis Plants have decided to join the UAW strike. According to Reuters, due to the walkouts across the 20 states and dozens of plants, GM had to completely stop production in one of its plants in Kansas. 68 employees that were located in a Stellantis location in Ohio were laid off due to the striking, which has only fueled the strike further. 

The strikes have also conjured people from both ends of the political spectrum in the U.S. to staggeringly support the worker strikes. “The President will join the picket line and stand in solidarity with the men and women of UAW as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create,” the White House said in a quote to CBS News. As of Sept. 19, Biden is now the first sitting president to stand in solidarity with workers in a massive labor strike. Former President Donald Trump has also announced his support for the UAW strike, despite unfavorable union rulings during his presidency.
On Friday, Sept. 22, the UAW awaited an agreement to be reached within the three companies for contract negotiations, however Stellantis and GM failed to accept the agreements in their negotiated contract. Ford and UAW have made progress on negotiations for the new contract and their plants are being spared from the second round of striking. In contract negotiations with Ford, Fain stated that Ford promises to reinstate the Cost of Living Adjustment. “I can see Ford getting a (tentative agreement) as early as this week, definitely within the next 30 days,” stated an anonymous person. Bargaining with Ford continues to progress while updates on the other companies have yet to be made.