Workers at three major auto factories in the United States walked off the job on Friday, September 15, after their contracts expired and no new agreement was reached with the automakers. Picketing began outside a Ford factory in Wayne, Michigan; a GM assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri; and a Stellantis Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio. The strike comes after weeks of negotiations between the union and leadership at the automakers.
“We didn’t want to be here. We want a fair agreement. We want fair economic and social justice for our members. That’s what this is all about. And it’s a shame,” said Shawn Fain, president of the auto workers union.
GM made the case that in addition to the 20% pay increase over four years, the company would add “inflation protection,” increase its contributions to retirement health care savings by 25%, and increase vacation time. GM CEO Mary Barra described the offer as a “compelling and unprecedented economic package.”
And here is what out president had to say about the strike: “No, I’m not worried about a strike until it happens. I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Biden said on Labor Day.
Alfredo Ortiz, president and CEO of Job Creators Network, lashed out at Biden in a statement after the strike, saying that the president was in part responsible for the strike.
“President Biden is partly responsible for the economically damaging UAW strike because Bidenflation has caused declining real wages and living standards for ordinary workers, resulting in UAW taking this drastic action to swing the wage pendulum in the other direction. Biden’s pro-union rhetoric, including calling himself the most pro-union president in history, has also contributed to the UAW overplaying its hand with ridiculous compensation demands that threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers, thousands of small businesses that service the big three automakers, and even the automakers themselves,” Ortiz said.
Biden was wrong again with his prediction that UAW would not strike, as they have. https://t.co/BpgCjrRr0y
— Scott Adams (@scottadamsshow) September 15, 2023
