Auto workers launched a historic series of strikes Friday morning against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, making good on a threat to walk off the job if the “Big 3” failed to meet their demands.
Never before has the United Auto Workers union carried out a simultaneous work stoppage at all three automakers.
But rather than strike every plant involved in the labor dispute, the union called on workers to walk out
at only certain facilities when their contracts expired at midnight.
In a
Facebook Live announcement,
the union’s president, Shawn Fain, said the first three struck facilities would be Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, in Wayne, Michigan; GM’s Wentzville Assembly plant, in Wentzville, Missouri; and Stellantis’ Toledo Assembly Complex, in Toledo, Ohio.
The strike at the Ford plant would only involve one department, Fain said.
Such a strategy could enable the union to disrupt production for the companies while keeping many members on the job and earning paychecks.
Fain said the unpredictable work stoppage may expand to other facilities over time if the union doesn’t continue to make headway in contract talks.
“The money is there. The cause is righteous. The world is watching,”
Fain said. “This is our defining moment.”
Depending on how long it lasts and how wide it spreads, the strike could have major economic and political consequences.
Nearly
150,000 workers are employed under the three contracts, and many jobs at other employers, such as parts suppliers and dealerships, depend on production running smoothly at Ford, GM and Stellantis, which owns the Dodge and Jeep brands.
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