United Auto Workers–the union representing workers at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis in Detroit–must reach a labor agreement with the automakers before a potential strike. If no agreement is reached by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, 140,000 workers could begin to strike.
The strike could turn into the most significant strike of active employees the U.S. has seen in 25 years and cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars.
Workers are asking for 40 percent pay raises over four years, a 32-hour work week with 40 hours of pay and traditional pensions for new hires. Automakers have proposed counteroffers, but UAW has called those unfair. UAW pointed out a Sept. 8 counter offer made by Stellantis.
“They have the money,” a UAW press release read. “They just don’t want Stellantis workers to get their fair share.”
If a strike begins, UAW said all union members will not strike at the same time. The strategy, according to UAW, is to stagger efforts and start striking at the automakers’ most profitable plants.
