UAW chief says offers from Detroit companies inadequate, says union ready to strike
With just over 24 hours left before a strike deadline, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain says offers from Detroit automakers aren’t enough and the union is getting ready to strike
DETROIT — With just over 24 hours left before a strike deadline, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said Wednesday that offers from the companies aren't enough and the union is getting ready to strike.
In an online address to union members, Fain said General Motors, Ford and Stellantis have raised their initial wage offers, but have rejected some of the union's other demands.
“We do not yet have offers on the table that reflect the sacrifices and contributions our members have made to these companies,” he said. “To win we're likely going to have to take action. We are preparing to strike these companies in a way they've never seen before.”
The union is threatening to strike after contracts with companies that haven't reached an agreement by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday. But the strikes would be targeted to a small number of factories per company. It would be the first time in the union's 80-plus-year history that it struck all three companies at the same time.
Talks continued Wednesday with the companies, but it appeared that both sides are still far apart.
Automakers contend that they need to make huge investments to develop and build electric vehicles while still building and engineering internal combustion vehicles. They say an expensive labor agreement could saddle them with costs that would force them to raise prices above their non-union foreign competitors. And they say they have made fair proposals to the union.
Questioned Wednesday night after an appearance at the Detroit auto show, a frustrated Ford CEO Jim Farley said if the
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