The United Auto Workers (UAW) union authorized a strike on Friday in negotiations with major automakers, according to a release from the union.
The union voted 97% in favor of a strike for its 150,000 autoworkers as negotiations continue with the Big Three automakers, which include Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, according to a union press release.
The UAW is demanding wage increases to counter inflation, defined benefit pensions, retiree healthcare, the elimination of tiers for wages and benefits among other demands. These are all important issues for autoworkers, and the union is right to be fighting for them.
It is not yet clear whether the UAW will actually go on strike. The union has said that it will not strike unless the automakers refuse to reach a fair deal. However, the automakers have not yet made any significant concessions, so it is possible that a strike could still happen.
“UAW President Shawn Fain announced today that the union’s strike authorization vote passed with near universal approval from the 150,000 union workers at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis,” the union said in a press release. “Final votes are still being tabulated, but the current combined average across the Big Three was 97% in favor of strike authorization. The vote does not guarantee a strike will be called, only that the union has the right to call a strike if the Big Three refuse to reach a fair deal.”
“Our union’s membership is clearly fed up with living paycheck-to-paycheck while the corporate elite and billionaire class continue to make out like bandits,” Fain said in the press release. “The Big Three have been breaking the bank while we have been breaking our backs.”
The UAW strike authorization vote consisted of three separate votes, one for each of the Big Three automakers: Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. The results of the vote were:
- Ford: 98% in favor of strike authorization
- General Motors: 96% in favor of strike authorization
- Stellantis: 95% in favor of strike authorization
The UAW is hoping that the automakers will take the strike authorization vote seriously and come back to the bargaining table. If the automakers do not make concessions, the UAW may strike.
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