A rally of striking Ford workers in Wayne, Michigan, September 26, 2023 (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/SCOTT OLSON)
The UAW (United Auto Workers) union called on 7,000 of its members to stop work on Friday, bringing the number of workers on strike at the three major American auto manufacturers to around 25,600, while the movement has now lasted two weeks.
The extension of the strike took effect at 4:00 p.m. GMT and concerns two sites, one belonging to Ford, in Chicago, and the other, owned by GM, in Lansing (Michigan), indicated the president of the UAW, Shawn Fain.
He specified that he would not call on additional members to suspend their activity at Stellantis, the third member of the “Big Three” (the three major historic manufacturers), due to “significant progress” on several points currently under discussion.
He mentioned a mechanism for adjusting salaries to the cost of living as well as the right to strike in the event of a site closure and relocation announcement by the manufacturer.
“We are excited to see this momentum at Stellantis and we hope to see it continue,” said the president of the powerful auto union.
Shawn Fain, president of the UAW union, on a picket line in the presence of President Joe Biden, in front of the General Motors plant in Belleville, Michigan, September 26, 2023 (AFP/Jim WATSON)
Stellantis also reported “progress” in the talks, although “differences remain.”
The group, born from the merger between the French PSA and FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), was initially criticized, as was GM, for its supposed inflexibility, with the UAW welcoming, last week, significant progress with Ford.
But the tide seems to have turned, and the president of the UAW this week publicly attacked Ford for having suspended, on Monday, construction work on a battery factory in Michigan, considered a project major of the group from Dearborn (Michigan).
– “Not much time left” –
Ford management reacted on Friday, and the general manager, Jim Farley, accused the UAW of bad faith, accusing it of telling its members that the group’s transition to electric would cause job cuts at short term.
Ford CEO Jim Farley during the presentation of the new Mustang GTD in Detroit on September 13, 2023 (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives/BILL PUGLIANO)
“None of our employees will lose their jobs because of our battery factories during the duration of the next collective agreement, or even after,” assured Jim Farley during a telephone press briefing.
Ford’s plans for new battery manufacturing sites in the United States are partnerships with non-American players, which raises reservations among elected officials but also in public opinion.
“What’s really frustrating is that we could have reached a compromise on the wage aspects,” the leader said, “but for now the UAW has stuck to the issue of the factories. batteries.”
“We still have time to reach an agreement and avoid a real disaster, but not much time left,” warned Jim Farley.
Despite Friday’s new appeal, the majority of the 146,000 unionized staff within the three major manufacturers continue to hold their positions.
President Joe Biden on a picket line in front of the General Motors plant in Belleville, Michigan, September 26, 2023 (AFP/Jim WATSON)
The strikers received significant reinforcement this week in the person of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, who went on Tuesday to a picket line at the GM spare parts distribution center in Belleville, in the suburbs of Detroit.
The head of state publicly estimated that the union could legitimately demand a salary increase of some 40% over the duration of the new agreement, i.e. four years.
Former President Donald Trump also visited the region on Wednesday, holding a public meeting at a parts manufacturing site, which does not belong to any of the big three manufacturers and which does not include a union.
He once again sought to place the responsibility for the social conflict on Joe Biden and his energy transition policy which favors the development of electric vehicles.
© 2023 AFP
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