The United Auto Workers went on strike at midnight on Sept. 15 against the Big Three as the union failed to reach a tentative agreement. Since then, tens of thousands of workers across the country have gone on strike.
Below are live updates from the strike as we get them. Editor's Note: These updates only go through Monday, Oct. 9. For past updates, visit our previous blog by clicking here.
November 20, 2023
9:37 a.m.
Ford's president and CEO Jim Farley issued the following statement Monday morning after the UAW's announced that nearly 64% of workers have voted to ratify the new contract with the automaker:
We are pleased the agreement has been ratified and we are very happy for our more than 57,000 UAW-represented employees and their families. Ford believes in rewarding all of our people and growing the middle class in America – and we have shown that with our actions over many years.
Now, we are getting back to work as one Ford team. Thankfully, we are on track to reach full production schedules in the coming days at our assembly plants in Michigan, Kentucky and Illinois that were affected during the strike. I’m excited to personally get out to as many of our plants and operations as possible in the coming weeks and months to spend time with our teams who build our vehicles.
Ford is America’s No. 1 brand again and we want to build on that in 2024. We are entering one of our biggest-ever new product launch years in the U.S. We need to deliver these new vehicles on time and with top quality. This is critical!! I am talking about new Ranger and Ranger Raptor. New F-150 and F-150 Raptor. New Expedition. New Explorer. New Lincoln Navigator and new Lincoln Aviator. All told, we are refreshing about half of our U.S. volume in 2024. We are also working flat out on our next generation of electric vehicles and software platforms.
It’s also imperative that we continue to attack cost and waste throughout our operations. The reality is that this labor agreement added significant cost, and we are going to have to work very hard on productivity and efficiency to become more competitive.
The United Auto Workers union said officially Monday that workers at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis have voted to ratify their new contracts.
Across all three companies, 64% of voting members approved the contract. It appeared last week that General Motors workers might have voted down the contract, but as more plants were added, the "yes" votes percentage went up.
According to numbers posted by the union, 69.3% of Ford workers, 54.74% of General Motors workers and 68.8% of Stellantis workers voted to approve the contact.
“The members have spoken. After years of cutbacks, months of our Stand Up campaign, and weeks on the picket line, we have turned the tide for the American autoworker,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. “The Stand Up Strike was just the beginning. The UAW is back to setting the standard. Now, we take our strike muscle and our fighting spirit to the rest of the industries we represent, and to millions of non-union workers ready to Stand Up and fight for a better way of life.”
The official ratification announcement came 67 days after the strike began.
November 7, 2023
3 p.m. EST
UAW President Shawn Fain spoke about the process of getting new tentative agreements with the Big Three automakers and broke down the wins for each of the automakers.
You can watch his update below.
November 7, 2023
6 p.m. EST
President Joe Biden is expected to travel to Belvidere, Illinois, on Thursday to speak and meet with autoworkers, UAW President Shawn Fain and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the White House announced.
3 p.m. EST
The UAW said President Shawn Fain will speak Wednesday at 3 p.m. on the Stand Up Strike. WXYZ will live-stream the update.
November 4, 2023
12:33 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain and Vice President Mike Booth detailed the tentative agreement (TA) with General Motors on Saturday.
The TA includes a $5,000 ratification bonus for hourly workers. Some of the other highlights of the proposed contract include a 25% pay increase over the life of the contract, with an 11% increase upon ratification.
Read the story and view the documents here.
November 3, 2023
5:10 p.m. EDT
UAW leaders are scheduled to discuss details in the tentative agreement reached with General Motors on Saturday an noon on Facebook Live.
November 2, 2023
7:30 p.m. EDT
The UAW detailed its tentative agreement with Stellantis Thursday night after the national council voted to send it to general membership. According to the UAW, the union gained four times the value than in 2019.
UAW President Shawn Fain and Vice President Rich Boyer outlined the tentative agreement with members on Facebook Live.
Fain said in addition to wage increases, the return of COLA and killing wage tiers, all UAW members will get a ratification bonus of $5,000.
Details of the tentative agreement can be viewed here.
7:00 p.m. EDT
The UAW is holding a Facebook Live to address the tentative agreement with Stellantis.
10:00 a.m. EDT
Thursday evening, UAW President Shawn Fain and UAW Vice President Rick Boyer are expected to outline the Stellantis tentative agreement with members.
November 1, 2023
2:45 p.m. EDT
The Anderson Economic Group released its latest estimate of economic loss from the UAW strike.
The group estimated that the direct costs of the strike reached more than $10.4 billion in the sixth full week. The breakdown is:
- Wages of OEM workers – $650 million
- Losses to the Big Three – $4.3 billion
- Lost wages and earnings to supplier companies and workers – $3.3 billion
- Loses to dealers, customers and ancillary auto industry workers – $2 billion
The calculations encompass losses through Thursday, Oct. 26, which is before the tentative agreements were reached with GM and Stellantis.
The total cost of the strike is expected to be higher than the six-week figure estimate, even if all the contracts are ratified, according to the group.
8:30 a.m. EDT
UAW workers at Ford began casting ballots for the tentative agreement on Wednesday morning. According to a bulletin from UAW Local 900, the ratification vote began at 6 a.m. on Nov. 1 and end at 6 a.m. on Nov. 2.
It's not clear when the union will announce results of the vote.
October 30, 2023
4:54 p.m. EDT
President Joe Biden released this statement on the UAW tentative agreement with GM.
"I applaud the UAW and General Motors for coming together after hard fought, good faith negotiations to reach a historic agreement to provide workers with the pay, benefits, and respect they deserve. With this landmark agreement with GM, the UAW has now reached historic tentative agreements with all of the Big Three American automakers. This historic tentative agreement rewards the autoworkers who have sacrificed so much with the record raises, more paid leave, greater retirement security, and more rights and respect at work. I want to applaud the UAW and GM for agreeing to immediately bring back all of the GM workers who have been walking the picket line on behalf of their UAW brothers and sisters.
This historic contract is a testament to the power of unions and collective bargaining to build strong middle-class jobs while helping our most iconic American companies thrive. The final word on these tentative agreements will ultimately come from UAW members themselves in the days and weeks to come."
4:32 p.m. EDT
GM CEO Mary Barry released this statement after the tentative agreement was reached with the UAW.
“GM is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the UAW that reflects the contributions of the team while enabling us to continue to invest in our future and provide good jobs in the U.S.,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “We are looking forward to having everyone back to work across all of our operations, delivering great products for our customers, and winning as one team.”
9:44 a.m. EDT
General Motors and the United Auto Workers have reached a tentative contract agreement.
The announcement comes days after the union first reached an agreement with Ford Motor Company on Wednesday night and then Stellantis over the weekend.
According to the UAW, the tentative agreement with General Motors would also include a 25% pay raise over the life of the contract, the same as with Ford and Stellantis. It also includes the restoration of cost-of-living adjustments.
The union also said it will kill several wage tiers, and will bring two groups into the UAW-GM Master Agreement – at Ultium Cells and GM Subsystems LLC. Additionally, the UAW said GM has agreed to make five payments of $500 to current retirees and surviving spouses, the first payments in more than 15 years.
GM workers will return to work while the agreement goes through the ratification process.
"All three of the Big Three now have a tentative agreement with the UAW. All three agreements break records and better unite our union," the UAW stated in a news release.
October 29, 2023
7:23 p.m.
UAW President Shawn Fain and Vice President Chuck Browning detailed the tentative agreement with Ford, highlighting some major aspects of the proposed contract.
The contract is set to go through April 30, 2028, because Fain said they wanted to be able to strike on May Day in 2028, which is known as International Workers' Day.
"When we return to the bargaining table in 2028, it won’t just be with the Big Three but the Big Five or Big Six," Fain said.
As for what happens next, the contract will go to regional meetings and then after time to debate and discuss, each UAW member for Ford will cast their votes on the agreement.
"This contract demonstrates the incredible power workers have when they're not afraid to use it," Fain said as he endorsed the agreement.
You can read the highlighters below.
Ford-UAW Hourly Highlighter by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
2023 UAW-Ford Salaried Highlighter by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
12:00 p.m.
On Sunday evening, UAW President Shawn Fain and UAW Vice President Chuck Browning are expected to outline the Ford tentative agreement with members.
October 28, 2023
8 p.m. EDT
GM released this statement on the latest strike at the Spring Hill Manufacturing Plant. It says: “We are disappointed by the UAW’s action in light of the progress we have made. We have continued to bargain in good faith with the UAW, and our goal remains to reach an agreement as quickly as possible.”
7:49 p.m.
On the same day that the United Auto Workers union reached a tentative agreement with Stellantis, the automaker expanded its strike to another General Motors plant.
UAW Local 1853 posted on Facebook that they were added to the Stand Up Strike. The plant is the Spring Hill Manufacturing Plant in Tenneesee.
That plant produces the Cadillac XT5, XT6 the all-new, all-electric Lyriq and the GMC Acadia.
According to GM, about 3,900 people work at the Spring Hill Assembly Plant, and that would put more than 17,000 GM workers on strike.
7:30 p.m. EDT
Leaders are releasing statements about Stellantis' tentative agreement with the UAW.
Stellantis COO Mark Stewart released a statement saying in part, "Today, as we announce that we have reached a tentative agreement with the UAW on a new labor contract, I would like to thank all the negotiating teams who have worked tirelessly for many weeks to get to this point. We look forward to welcoming our 43,000 employees back to work and resuming operations to serve our customers and execute our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan to maintain Stellantis’ position at the forefront of innovation. "
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released a statement saying:
“I applaud the world-class autoworkers of the UAW and Stellantis, a global leader that makes some of the best vehicles on the road, for reaching a deal.
“This agreement will raise wages for workers and shore up the company’s footprint in Michigan. As governor, I am focused on building on our century-long leadership in auto manufacturing, and with this strong agreement, I know we will define the next century too.
“Together, we can keep competing with everyone to bring good-paying, family-sustaining jobs back home to Michigan from overseas. Let’s build on our momentum and ratify these agreements so Michiganders can get back to doing what they do best—making the world’s best cars and trucks.”
President Joe Biden said, "I applaud the UAW and Stellantis for coming together after hard fought, good faith negotiations to reach a historic agreement that will guarantee workers the pay, benefits, dignity and respect they deserve. This groundbreaking contract rewards the autoworkers who sacrificed so much to revive our auto industry with record raises, more paid leave, greater retirement security, and more rights and respect at work. I want to applaud the UAW and Stellantis for agreeing to immediately bring back all of the Stellantis workers who have been walking the picket line on behalf of their UAW brothers and sisters. This contract is a testament to the power of unions and collective bargaining to build strong middle-class jobs while helping our most iconic American companies thrive. The final word on this tentative agreement will ultimately come from UAW Stellantis members themselves in the days and weeks to come."
1:30 p.m. EDT
The United Auto Workers union has reached its second tentative agreement, this time with Stellantis, according to the Associated Press and other reports.
According to the AP, the deal follows the same template that was reached with Ford earlier in the week. The agreement will have to be ratified by UAW workers at Stellantis, but it's expected that the 14,000 workers on strike will get back to work while the process plays out, just like it is with Ford. The deal, like Ford's, is set to run through April 30, 2028.
According to the UAW, the deal with Ford included a 25% pay raise over the life of the contract, the reinstatement of pre-2009 cost-of-living adjustments, retiree benefits, temp worker raise, wage progression and more.
After the deal was announced with Ford, the union said Ford workers should get back to work on the line while the process of ratification plays out. That’s because they wanted to keep the pressure on GM and Stellantis.
October 27, 2023
5:15 p.m. EDT
Stellantis has matched the 25% wage increase offer that Ford Motor Co. presented earlier this week, according to sources close to the negotiations. We're also being told General Motors has matched the wage increase as well.
However, tentative deals have not yet been reached between the UAW and the two automakers.
The latest offers come two days after Ford and the UAW reached a tentative agreement. Ford and the union are expected to take crucial steps over the weekend to ratify the deal.
October 25, 2023
9:50 p.m. EDT
Stellantis has also issued a statement on the tentative agreement:
We remain committed to working toward a tentative agreement that gets everyone back to work as soon as possible.
9:40 p.m. EDT
Both General Motors and the Detroit Regional Chamber have released statements on the tentative agreement.
GM released the following statement:
We are working constructively with the UAW to reach a tentative agreement as soon as possible.
The Detroit Regional Chamber released the following statement from Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, who spoke with 7 Action News about the strike's impact earlier today, prior to the announcement:
Certainly, this tentative agreement is good news, and hopefully a positive sign for other companies. This strike has gone on for far too long, especially considering the Detroit Three have essentially agreed to the UAW demands on wages, health care, the tier structure, vacation days, retirement, cost of living adjustments, and more. The short- and long- term damage is now what the companies and communities will have to begin to address.
9:13 p.m. EDT
President Joe Biden issued the following statement on the tentative agreement between Ford and the UAW:
"I applaud the UAW and Ford for coming together after a hard fought, good faith negotiation and reaching a historic tentative agreement tonight. This tentative agreement provides a record raise to auto workers who have sacrificed so much to ensure our iconic Big Three companies can still lead the world in quality and innovation. Ultimately, the final word on this contract will be from the UAW members themselves in the days and weeks to come. I’ve always believed the middle class built America and unions built the middle class. That is especially the case for UAW workers who built an iconic American industry. And critical to building an economy from the middle out and bottom up, instead of from the top down, is worker power. It’s showing how collective bargaining works by providing workers a seat at the table and the opportunity to improve their lives while contributing fully to their employer’s success. This tentative agreement is a testament to the power of employers and employees coming together to work out their differences at the bargaining table in a manner that helps businesses succeed while helping workers secure pay and benefits they can raise a family on and retire with dignity and respect."
8:53 p.m. EDT
Ford confirmed the tentative agreement with the UAW. Ford CEO and President Jim Farley released the following statement after the announcement:
"We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with the UAW covering our U.S. operations. Ford is proud to assemble the most vehicles in America and employ the most hourly autoworkers. We are focused on restarting Kentucky Truck Plant, Michigan Assembly Plant and Chicago Assembly Plant, calling 20,000 Ford employees back to work and shipping our full lineup to our customers again. The agreement is subject to ratification by Ford’s UAW-represented employees. Consistent with the ratification process, the UAW will share details with its membership."
8:40 p.m. EDT
The United Auto Workers union has reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Company on day 40 of the strike against the Big Three, UAW President Shawn Fain said in an update on Wednesday night.
That agreement will still have to be ratified by the more than 57,000 UAW workers who work for Ford.
Fain announced the tentative deal with Ford on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter:
Record profits mean record contracts. We have a tentative agreement at Ford. #StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/Z00T5CfQJN
— UAW (@UAW) October 26, 2023
October 24, 2023
2:26 p.m. EDT
Stellantis says they are laying off 525 more people in the wake of Monday's decision by the UAW to add the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant to the Stand Up Strike.
The layoffs, which were effective Monday, apply to the Sterling Stamping and Warren Stamping plants, which make parts for the Ram 1500.
10:34 a.m. EDT
General Motors released a statement shortly after the UAW went on strike at its Arlington Assembly Plant.
We are disappointed by the escalation of this unnecessary and irresponsible strike. It is harming our team members who are sacrificing their livelihoods and having negative ripple effects on our dealers, suppliers, and the communities that rely on us.
Last week, we provided a comprehensive offer to the UAW that increased the already substantial and historic offers we have made by approximately 25% in total value.
It is time for us to finish this process, get our team members back to work and get on with the business of making GM the company that will win and provide great jobs in the U.S. for our people for decades to come.
10:16 a.m. EDT
The UAW announced Tuesday that more than 5,000 members at GM's Arlington Assembly have joined the Stand Up Strike.
GM’s Arlington Assembly located in Arlington, Texas produces the automaker's most profitable vehicles, including the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
The strike follows GM's quarterly earnings announcement Tuesday morning that revealed the automaker made record profits last quarter.
"Another record quarter, another record year. As we've said for months: record profits equal record contracts." said UAW President Shawn Fain. "It’s time GM workers, and the whole working class, get their fair share."
October 23, 2023
2:15 p.m. EDT
Stellantis has issued the following statement about the UAW's strike expansion to SHAP.
We are outraged that the UAW has chosen to expand its strike action against Stellantis. Last Thursday morning, Stellantis presented a new, improved offer to the UAW, including 23% wage increases over the life of the contract, nearly a 50% increase in our contributions to the retirement savings plan, and additional job security protections for our employees. Following multiple conversations that appeared to be productive, we left the bargaining table expecting a counter-proposal, but have been waiting for one ever since.
Our very strong offer would address member demands and provide immediate financial gains for our employees. Instead, the UAW has decided to cause further harm to the entire automotive industry as well as our local, state and national economies.
The UAW’s continued disturbing strategy of “wounding” all the Detroit 3 will have long-lasting consequences. With every decision to strike, the UAW sacrifices domestic market share to non-union competition. These actions not only decrease our market share, but also impact our profitability and therefore, our ability to compete, invest and preserve the record profit sharing payments our employees have enjoyed over the past two years.
11:30 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain spoke outside of the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, talking about why they put the plant on strike and saying that they don't want their members out there, but they deserve a fair share.
"We are where we are. They know where we need to be. We can get there. We can get a deal done this week, but we gotta get serious, the company has gotta get serious, and get down to business," Fain said.
10:29 a.m. EDT
The UAW announced Monday morning that the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant has now joined the stand up strike.
Sterling Heights Assembly Plant workers make RAM 1500 trucks.
According to the UAW, that's an additional 6,800 workers who are now on strike, bringing the total of striking workers to 40,000 across the Big Three.
"Despite having the highest revenue, the highest profits (North American and global), the highest profit margins, and the most cash in reserve, Stellantis lags behind both Ford and General Motors in addressing the demands of their UAW workforce. Currently, Stellantis has the worst proposal on the table regarding wage progression, temporary worker pay and conversion to full-time, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), and more," the UAW statement said.
October 20, 2023
9:50 p.m. EDT
Ford on Friday night announced additional layoffs including at a metro Detroit plant.
The company said 10 employees at the Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti and 354 employees at the Sharonville Transmission Plant in Ohio were asked to not report to work on Monday. Ford said this is due to impacts of strikes at different facilities.
5:05 p.m. EDT
After UAW President Shawn Fain's Facebook Live announcement, Stellantis issued a statement on the status of negotiations:
"Negotiations between Stellantis and the UAW continue to be productive, building on the momentum from the past several weeks. We have made progress on narrowing the gaps on significant issues that will bring immediate financial gains and job security for our employees. Our focus remains on resolving those issues as soon as possible and finding solutions that protect the Company and our employees."
4:44 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain provided an update on negotiations with the Big Three on Friday, encouraging members to stay united and saying "there is more to be won."
Fain said that while the automakers are presenting record contracts, it's not enough for autoworkers who have gone backwards for decades.
In the past 24 hours, Fain says they've seen "serious movement" from both Stellantis and General Motors.
In the latest offers from the automakers, Fain said wages have moved to a 23% increase over four and a half years across the Big Three. Wages is just one of the key issues on the bargaining table.
"There’s clearly still room to move," he said of negotiations.
Read more about his address here.
Watch the full update below:
3:15 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain will provide an update on negotiations at 4 p.m. Watch live here
12:30 p.m. EDT
General Motors released its latest offer to the UAW on Friday afternoon, just a few hours before UAW President Shawn Fain is set to speak on negotiations.
According to GM, the new offer includes 23% general wage increases representing a 25% compounded wage increase over the life of the agreement, with a 10% wage increase in year 1.
It also includes reinstatement of the cost-of-living adjustment for seniority team members starting year one, a ratification bonus, health care changes, up to five weeks of vacation and more.
According to the automaker, UAW-represented employees will make $40.39 per hour by the end of the agreement in base wages.
10:30 a.m. EDT
Stellantis says they are pulling out of both the LA Auto Show and the Specialty Equipment Market Association show because of the UAW strike.
The company released the following statement Friday morning:
As the costs of the ongoing UAW strike continue to mount, Stellantis has decided to cancel its planned display and all other presentations at SEMA (Las Vegas Oct. 31- Nov. 3, 2023) and the LA Auto Show (Nov. 16-26, 2023), as part of its contingency plan.
5:00 a.m. EDT
The UAW announced in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that union president Shaw Fain will update contract negotiations during a 4 p.m. Facebook Live on Friday.
#UAW President Shawn Fain will host a Facebook Live on Friday, October 20, at 4 p.m. ET to give bargaining updates.
— UAW (@UAW) October 19, 2023
Watch:
FB: https://t.co/mZLq6Tbjqf
YouTube: https://t.co/ieVaV4bntG
X: https://t.co/61MsIz1EwN#StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/yTA8a1Hc0Z
October 19, 2023
5:20 p.m. EDT
Stellantis announced on Thursday that it will be temporarily laying off 100 more employees from its Toledo Machining Plant. The company said it’s due to the strike at the Toledo Assembly Complex.
Those employees will be laid off starting Monday. A total of 170 workers are impacted by the strike at the plant. Stellantis also said 1,520 employees are laid off company-wide.
“Stellantis continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations,” part of a statement from the company said.
9:43 a.m. EDT
Gerald Johnson, the executive VP of global manufacturing and sustainability, provided an update on UAW contract negotiations Thursday.
In the video, he detailed the offer to the UAW, including 20% wage increase, restoration of the cost-of-living adjustment, retirement benefits and more.
"We believe we have met our commitment to provide historic wages and benefits, and have also addressed the future of EV battery manufacturing," Johnson said in the update.
He also said that the company needs its profits to invest in the future, and said over the past 10 years, GM has invested more money in the business than it has earned.
"If we don’t have profits to invest in our plants and our people, we will face declining market share, an inability to fund the EV transition, and an inability to compete with growing competitors right here in America," he said.
October 18, 2023
10:05 p.m. EDT
Ford announced on Wednesday that an additional 150 employees at the Sterling Axle Plant were laid off. The company said those workers were asked to not report to work on Wednesday due to impacts from plants targeted to strike in Chicago and Kentucky.
Ford says a total of 418 employees are laid off from the Sterling Axle Plant, with thousands laid off company-wide.
October 17, 2023
1:20 p.m. EDT
Stellantis announced on Tuesday that it is canceling its planned display and presentations for CES in Las Vegas in January 2024 amid the ongoing negotiations with the UAW.
In a statement, Stellantis said the move was part of a contingency plan they put in place at the start of the strike.
The automaker said that they are "executing comprehensive countermeasures to mitigate financial impacts and preserve capital, and will continue to demonstrate its transformation into a mobility tech company through other means."
October 16, 2023
1:46 p.m. EDT
The UAW has released the following statement from President Shawn Fain in response to Ford's speech:
Bill Ford knows exactly how to settle this strike. Instead of threatening to close the Rouge, he should call up Jim Farley, tell him to stop playing games and get a deal done, or we’ll close the Rouge for him. It's not the UAW and Ford against foreign automakers. It's autoworkers everywhere against corporate greed. If Ford wants to be the all-American auto company, they can pay all-American wages and benefits. Workers at Tesla, Toyota, Honda, and others are not the enemy—they're the UAW members of the future.
10:25 a.m. EDT
Bill Ford spoke Monday morning on his vision for the future of American manufacturing.
He called on Ford and the UAW to come together — and that these negotiations should not be "Ford versus the UAW."
"Let’s come together, reach an agreement, so that we can take the fight to the real competition," said Bill Ford.
Watch his remarks in the video player below:
8:30 a.m. EDT
Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford will speak on Monday at 10 a.m. on what the automaker said is the "future of American manufacturing."
It comes as the UAW strike enters its fifth week, and days after Ford was targeted by the UAW for its latest strike at the Kentucky Truck Plant.
October 13, 2023
7:50 p.m. EDT
Ford announced that it will be laying off about 550 more employees on Monday due to the United Auto Workers strike.
The company said the walk offs at the Kentucky Truck and Chicago Assembly plants had a ripple effect on other facilities.
Employees at six Ford plants were asked not to report to work on Monday:
- 306 employees at the Sharonville Transmission Plant
- 100 employees at the Dearborn Stamping Plant
- 65 employees at the Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing Plant
- 45 employees at the Rawsonville Components Plant
- 29 employees at the Sterling Axle Plant
- 12 employees at the Chicago Stamping Plant
About 2,480 workers have been laid off in the company as a result of the strike, Ford said.
2 p.m. EDT
Stellantis has issued two statements in the wake of UAW President Shawn Fain's Facebook message to his membership. The first is in response to Fain's comments and says the company and the union have been making progress this week. It reads as follows:
The discussions between Stellantis and the UAW are focused on narrowing the gaps on issues that will bring immediate financial gains and job security for our employees while providing a bridge for the sustainability of the Company. We have made progress this week and look for collaboration from the UAW to reach an agreement as soon as possible to get everyone back to work
The second statement announces 700 new layoffs at the company's Kokomo plants:
As a consequence of the strike action at the Toledo Assembly Complex (TAC), Stellantis has announced temporary layoffs for an additional 700 employees from the Kokomo (Indiana) Transmission and Kokomo (Indiana) Casting Plants, effective Oct. 13. In total, the Company now has 1,340 employees on temporary layoff across three states.
These plants have reached maximum inventory levels of the parts or components they supply for the Jeep® Wrangler or Jeep Gladiator.
Stellantis continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations.
10:30 a.m. EDT
United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain said the strike against the Big Three automakers is entering a new phase on Friday even though Fain did not announce new strike locations this time.
"We’re entering a new phase of this fight, and it demands a new approach. We’re done waiting until Fridays to escalate our strike," Fain said. "Today, we’re not announcing a new expansion, but we are prepared to call on new locals to stand-up and strike."
He also called on union members to join picket lines across the country this weekend and support striking workers.
Fain said that the automakers had gotten used to waiting until Fridays, when he made previous announcements, to make deals.
"They thought they figured out the rules of the game, so we change the rules. Now there's only one rule: pony up," Fain said.
October 12, 2023
8 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain will provide an update on the strike at 10 a.m. You can watch it live here at 10 a.m.
October 12, 2023
2:30 p.m. EDT
Ford held a media update on the impact the UAW's sudden strike at the Kentucky Truck Plant will have on their operations. You can watch the update below.
October 11, 2023
10 p.m. EDT
In an update on X Wednesday night, UAW President Shawn Fain explained why union leaders authorized thousands of workers at a Kentucky plant to join the strike. In a video in front of Ford's headquarters in Dearborn, Fain said the union met with the company on Wednesday and Ford presented the UAW "the exact same offer they gave us two weeks ago."
"In our position, they're not taking us serious. We've been very patient working with the company on this. At the end of the day, they have not met expectations. They're not even coming to the table on it. So at this point, we had to take action," Fain said.
The video posted to social media shows Fain making the phone call to the UAW local president for the Louisville facility for workers to walk out of the plant.
"We've been doing things a certain way. Every Friday, we've been doing Facebook Live updates to make announcements, so we had to choose to do things differently this way and that's what we've done this time," Fain said.
The Stand Up Strike just hit Ford's biggest plant. Here's how it went down, and why 8,700 members at Kentucky Truck Plant took action.#StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/mzO0AZGMKS
— UAW (@UAW) October 12, 2023
6:40 p.m. EDT
In a surprise move, the UAW announced Wednesday that 8,700 union workers at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant joined the strike and walked off the job around 6:30 p.m.
“We have been crystal clear, and we have waited long enough, but Ford has not gotten the message,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. “It’s time for a fair contract at Ford and the rest of the Big Three. If they can’t understand that after four weeks, the 8,700 workers shutting down this extremely profitable plant will help them understand it.”
The UAW also said Fain will host a Facebook Live Friday at 10 a.m. "to give bargaining updates and take further action if needed."
According to Ford, the Louisville facility employs 9,251 employees, 8,711 of them are hourly. The plant produces the Ford F-250–F-550 Super Duty Trucks, Ford Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator.
The company released the following statement on the strike at the truck plant:
The decision by the UAW to call a strike at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant is grossly irresponsible but unsurprising given the union leadership’s stated strategy of keeping the Detroit 3 wounded for months through “reputational damage” and “industrial chaos.”
Ford made an outstanding offer that would make a meaningful positive difference in the quality of life for our 57,000 UAW-represented workers, who are already among the best compensated hourly manufacturing workers anywhere in the world. In addition to our offer on pay and benefits, Ford has been bargaining in good faith this week on joint venture battery plants, which are slated to begin production in the coming years.
The UAW leadership’s decision to reject this record contract offer – which the UAW has publicly described as the best offer on the table – and strike Kentucky Truck Plant, carries serious consequences for our workforce, suppliers, dealers and commercial customers.
Kentucky Truck is Ford’s largest plant and one of the largest auto factories in America and the world. The vehicles produced at the Louisville-based factory – the F-Series Super Duty, the Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator – generate $25 billion a year in revenue. In addition to affecting approximately 9,000 direct employees at the plant, this work stoppage will generate painful aftershocks – including putting at risk approximately a dozen additional Ford operations and many more supplier operations that together employ well over 100,000 people.
This decision by the UAW is all the more wrongheaded given that Ford is the only automaker to add UAW jobs since the Great Recession and assemble all of its full-size trucks in America.
October 9, 2023
6:10 p.m. EDT
Stellantis announced on Monday that hundreds of more employees were temporarily laid off.
The company said 570 more employees were laid off on Oct. 6 as a result of the United Auto Workers union strike. Stellantis says storage constraints caused the layoffs.
The newest layoffs are impacting two facilities: Engine Complex in Trenton and Kokomo Casting in Indiana.
Now, a total of 640 employees are laid off.
“Stellantis continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations,” part of a statement from Stellantis said.
1:59 p.m. EDT
Ford Motor Company said 71 workers at the Livonia Transmission Plant were asked not to report to work starting Monday due to the strike at the Chicago Assembly Plant. Officials said the Livonia Transmission Plant must reduce its production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago.
“While we are doing what we can to avoid layoffs, we have no choice but to reduce production of parts that would be destined for a plant that is on strike,” said Bryce Currie, vice president, Americas Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, Ford Blue. “Strike-related layoffs are an unfortunate result of the UAW’s strategy.”
1:48 p.m. EDT
General Motors updated its UAW negotiations website, showing off highlights from its latest offer to the union.
According to GM, the offer includes a 20% wage increase for most employees over the life of the agreement, the reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments, improved retirement security and more.
12:50 p.m. EDT
The Anderson Economic Group updated its loss estimates for the UAW strike against the Big Three, saying they estimate a total loss of $5.5 bill through the third full week of the strike, which ended at midnight on Oct. 5.
According to the agency, it tops the current-century record for losses due to an auto industry strike, which they estimated at $4 billion for the 2019 UAW strike against GM.
The estimated losses include:
- Direct Wages Lost - $579 million
- Detroit 3 Manufacturer Losses - $2.68 billion
- Supplier Losses - $1.6 billion
- Dealer and Customer Losses - $1.26 billion
7:00 a.m. EDT
At 7:00 a.m. Monday, UAW members at Mack Trucks in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida walked out to strike after rejecting a tentative agreement with the automaker.
Read the UAW's statement below:
After voting by 73% to reject a tentative agreement, nearly 4,000 UAW members at Mack Trucks in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida walked out on strike at 7 a.m. on Monday, October 9.
“I'm inspired to see UAW members at Mack Trucks holding out for a better deal, and ready to stand up and walk off the job to win it,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The members have the final say, and it's their solidarity and organization that will win a fair contract at Mack.”
After weeks of failing to address core economic issues, the company reached a tentative agreement with just minutes to spare before the initial deadline on October 1. On Sunday, October 8, Mack Trucks UAW members voted down the deal. UAW leadership then issued a strike notice to the company, citing “many topics [that] remain at issue, including: wage increases, cost of living allowances (COLA), job security, wage progression, skilled trades, shift premium, holiday schedules, work schedules, health and safety, seniority, pension, 401(k), healthcare and prescription drug coverage, and overtime.”
UAW Locals 171, 677, 1247, 2301, and 2420 in UAW Region 8 and Region 9 represent workers at Mack Trucks in Macungie and Middletown, Pennsylvania; Hagerstown and Baltimore, Maryland; and Jacksonville, Florida.
The Mack Trucks strikers bring the total number of striking UAW members to over 30,000 workers across 22 states.
