UAW Strike: Union Expands Strike Against Detroit's Big Three

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers is expanding its massive strike against Detroit’s Big Three as another self-imposed deadline passed without a new contract.

UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday the strike will expand to include 38 parts and distribution factories at General Motors and Stellantis in the U.S. Fain told workers at all GM and Stellantis parts and distribution centers are expected to walk out at noon on Friday.

UAW workers at General Motors parts and distribution factories in Pontiac, Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Davison Road, Flint and Lansing were expected to walk off the job Friday.

Other UAW strike locations include factories in Cincinnati, Denver, Hudson, Chicago, Reno, Rancho Cucamonga, Fort Worth, Martinsburg, Jackson, Charlotte, Memphis and Philadelphia.

UAW workers at Stellantis parts and distribution factories in Marysville, Centerline Packaging, Centerline Warehouse, Sherwood, Warren Parts, Quality Engineering Center and Romulus were expected to walk off the job Friday.

Other UAW strike locations include factories Cleveland, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, Atlanta, Winchester, Orlando, Dallas, New York and Boston.

The expansion of the strike comes as Fain said the union has made "real progress" in its talks with Ford Motor Company. Fain said the automaker has agreed to several key demands proposed by the union, including pay, cost of living, profit sharing, job security as well as the right to strike over plant closures.

Fain did not ask workers at any additional Ford facilities to join the strike.

On the other hand, Fain said the union's negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis have not been going well. Fain said the two companies have rejected most of their demands, and expanded the strike in an effort to "push" the two automakers.

The historic UAW strike against Detroit's Big Three began on Sept. 8 after the union's contract expired without a new one in place. It's the first time ever the union launched a strike against all three automakers at the same time.

Roughly 13,000 UAW workers initially walked off the job at three plants in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri as part of what Fain called the "Stand Up Strike," which is a strategy to target specific plants. As of Friday morning, those workers were still on strike.

The union is calling on the automakers for a 46 percent wage increase and a 32-hour workweek for its members. The union also wants to eliminate the wage tiered system, restore cost of living adjustments, end temporary workers after 90 days and increase multiple retiree benefits.

Ford, General Motors and Stellantis have offered the union multiple proposals that included a 10 percent wage increase from GM, a 14.5 percent increase from Stellantis and Ford's 9 percent increase and a 6 percent lump sum added after. The union rejected all proposals.