Friday morning, local UAW employees in Parma, Avon Lake and Brook Park reported to work as normal despite colleagues striking at Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex, General Motors Wentzville Assembly in Missouri, and the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant.
UAW President Shawn Fain announced the “Stand Up Strike” plan Thursday evening on Facebook Live.
Online, UAW said the “Stand Up Strike” is “a new approach to striking. Instead of striking all plants at once, select locals will be called on to “Stand Up” and walk out on strike. As time goes on, more locals may be called on to “Stand Up” and join the strike.”
Gary Dodrill works at GM’s Parma Metal Center. He’s a tool and die maker. He’s worked for GM for 47 years. He said workers stand in solidarity and think the union’s phased-in strike approach is smart negotiating.
“I feel that they’re pressuring them, and we should get some better benefits out of the contract,” Dodrill said. “I'm just waiting...to see what happens with their pension program. We haven't had a pension increase, probably for 20 years. So, we’re way behind. So, I’m hoping they have level heads and come up with an agreement.”
UAW Local 1005 President Dan Schwartz said members have been preparing for a possible strike and are in it for the long haul.
“If that call comes, our members are ready to go and fight the good fight and do what we need to do to make sure that we get a good contract,” Schwartz said. “How long can we go? We went 40 days four years ago, and we were dug in, and we could have went a hell of a lot longer than that.”
What does the UAW want?
The UAW sought a 36% pay boost for workers. General Motors, Ford and Stellantis countered with an increase of around half of that. Specifically, Ford offered 20% over 4 1/2 years, while GM was at 18% for four years, and Stellantis was at 17.5%, according to Fain. Additionally, all three offers on cost-of-living adjustments were deficient, Fain said, providing little or no protection against inflation.
The automakers contended that they need to make huge investments to develop and build electric vehicles while still building and engineering internal combustion vehicles. They say an expensive labor agreement could saddle them with costs that would force them to raise prices above their non-union foreign competitors. And they say they have made fair proposals to the union.
The companies rejected pay raises for retirees who haven’t received one in over a decade, Fain said, and they are seeking concessions in annual profit-sharing checks, which often are more than $10,000.
Dodrill said a strike will impact all workers, but he’s most concerned about colleagues with less tenure and those raising children. Workers who go on strike would live on $500 per week in strike pay from the union.
“The younger people, it may be a struggle. I’m going to be fine,” Dodrill said. “It definitely puts a pinch on people that have children still. But yeah, we’re hoping for a positive outcome.”
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