UAW President Shawn Fain said, “The Big Three is our strike target. And whether or not there’s a strike – it’s up to Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, because they know what our priorities are. We’ve been clear.” The UAW workers are fighting for a 46% wage increase, restoring their pensions, a 32-hour work week, and increased retiree benefits.

According to UAW, 98% of hourly workers and 99% of salaried workers at Ford voted to authorize the strike, 96% did at GM, and 95% at Stellantis.

UAW has not announced a strike as of now but if a strike does occur there is the potential for it to happen across all three companies for a 150,00-person strike. UAW has a strike fund of $825 million and in the event of a strike is prepared to pay the workers $500 a week in strike pay, which means they could maintain this strike pay for up to 11 weeks from existing funds if necessary.

When UAW members went on strike at GM in 2019 the strike cost GM $3.6 billion in profits. Whether a strike occurs this year and if it occurs across all three companies is yet to be seen, but if one does happen it will prove extremely costly for the automakers.

#DetroitMI #AutoUnitedAutoWorkers #UAW

Seattle, WA – On June 8, at the University of Washington-Seattle, over 100 people confronted the UW board of regents and University President Ana Marie Cauce in the morning prior to their meeting regarding their targeting of international workers. Organized by the UAW 4121, the workers lined the entrances of Suzzallo Library, and the UW administration was forced to deal with the consequences of their union-busting actions.

On June 7, at the beginning of the strike, the university distributed a message to multiple departments containing a distortion of facts concerning international scholars and the strike, along with a request for managers to notify them if visa holders are involved in the strike, citing a purported reporting obligation.

By labeling the RSE and postdoc strikes as a “strike by visa holders,” UW is distorting the truth and trying to create fear in international scholars by singling out their individual participation in strike actions. The UAW 4121 is determined to hold the university responsible for this behavior, which exemplifies their blatant anti-union stance and their willingness to manipulate the law when it serves their interests.

Members of the board of regents would normally enter the library through an unmarked side entrance, but the UAW was present at this entrance. The board of regents had canceled its meeting on Wednesday night, the beginning of the strike, and their Thursday meeting would typically begin when the library is closed to the public. The UAW’s presence forced the board of regents to recognize them and give them time for public comment – increasing pressure as the administration is forced back to the bargaining table.

Katie Osterhage, a research scientist on the bargaining committee, said, “We wanted to meet the board of regents and the president as they were walking in to start their meeting to confront them about the misleading communications they distributed about reporting international employees on visas. This targeting of our most structurally vulnerable colleagues is appalling”.

#SeattleWA #AutoUnitedAutoWorkers #UAW

Seattle, WA – On Thursday, May 25, members of UAW Local 4121 rallied in front of Drumheller Fountain as research scientists and postdoctorates prepare to go on strike at the University of Washington. At the rally, a strike date of June 7 was announced, and over 100 members of the union demonstrated their willingness to fight for a strong contract.

Two major demands of the bargaining team right now are around equity and pay-equity including childcare. Research scientist Tricia Wu said, “UW says they don’t have any money for childcare. Do we believe this?” The university’s administration has tried to violate state law in how it pays research scientists and postdoctorates. The university is attempting to force researchers to work for an hourly rate, rather than on salary. Many research scientists regularly use overtime to finish experiments, and the administration’s proposal would allow overtime requests to be denied even if they keep working to finish their projects – stealing their pay. Andrew Brown, a postdoctoral, said “Bargaining has slowed to a crawl because they spent so much time trying to evade the law.”

Speakers stressed the power that a strike gives workers at the university. Rebecca Bluett, a postdoctoral, said “Striking is the only option left to us.” If research scientists and postdoctorates stop working, research stops almost immediately, which damages the reputation and funding of the university. Other unions have sanctioned the strike and are likely to act in solidarity. The union has also prepared for the strike well in advance, with a strike fund to support those on the picket line, and over 50 strike captains trained. At the rally and afterwards, people signed up for shifts on the picket line. The crowd was motivated by examples from other universities, as Andrew Brown said, “After what happened in California, in Rutgers, how did they think we weren’t willing to strike?”

After the rally, the crowd marched to the administration building, occupying three floors of the building. In front of the president’s office, union members demanded a meeting with administrators, which was denied. An administrator tried to tell research scientists that she understands their concerns, while arguing for why they cannot be paid more. For the next few hours, dozens lined the halls of the building, continuing to organize ahead of the strike.

Support was not limited to those preparing to go on the picket line. Teaching assistants, student employees, and undergraduate students all attended the rally and sit-in, expressing solidarity with research scientists and postdoctoral researchers. Other members of the union not going on strike planned how they can support their fellow workers. Carlos Montes, a Chicano activist and labor organizer visiting Seattle, visited the sit-in, speaking to several union members about his own experiences. When the strike begins on June 7 preparations have been made, and the community is ready to turn out to the picket line.

#SeattleWA #AutoUnitedAutoWorkers #UAW

Nearly five dozen members of UAW Local 291 have gone on strike. The picketing began early Monday morning, Feb. 6, after the conclusion of a workers’ meeting during which the decision was made to take action.

The workers at AxleTech chose to go on strike because they believe they are being put at a disadvantage in the negotiation process, with essential information regarding insurance coverage being denied to them.

“We are on an unfair labor practice strike,” UAW Local 291 President Robert Mitchell said. “We hope to get an agreement soon to get our people back to work.”

In addition to the picketing, the members of UAW Local 291 are planning a support rally to be held at their union headquarters in Oshkosh at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11.

#OshkoshWI #PeoplesStruggles #AutoUnitedAutoWorkers #UnitedAutoWorkers

Kohler, WI – Sheboygan County Circuit Judge James Bolgert approved a temporary injunction against striking UAW 833 members ordering them not to disrupt traffic around the Kohler Company property. UAW members have now entered the third day in their strike, over a two-tier wage system and a rising contributions to health care.

“We fully support the striking workers of UAW Local 833,” said Kas Schwerdtfeger, a UPS driver and rank-and-file member of Teamsters Local 344. “They are an inspiration to all workers in Wisconsin and we stand with them in solidarity in their fight for a fair contract.”

Koehler Co. filed for the temporary injunction, restricting picketers from disrupting traffic, in and around the facility, preventing vehicles going into the facility and occupying any property on the Kohler Co. property, including driveways. Another injunction barring mass picketing is set to be heard next week on Wednesday, Nov, 25.

The injunction comes after more than 1000 members and supporters marched about two miles from the UAW hall to the company the evening of Nov. 16. UAW members have formed an energetic 24-hour picket line outside the Kohler Co. facility they plan to continue until they win a decent contract. Picketers also stopped any vehicle attempting to get into the property to ensure no union members were going into work.

Koehler is trying to use the legal weapon of injunctions to kill the strike. This tactic is a favorite for companies that use these sets of legal maneuvers designed to disrupt and eliminate worker solidarity, strikes, pickets and other vehicles for organized labor. If the company had its way, all strikes would be illegal, taking away the voice of workers demanding decent wages, benefits and safe working conditions.

The striking workers of Koehler represent a new battleground for Wisconsin, as they are going into what will be their first 'Right to Work' contract.

“This strike is not just for us, it is also for the community. There will be a trickle effect if we all end up making $12 or $13 an hour. I want the kids and the grandkids of the area to have something to look forward to,” says Barbara Turner, a skilled trades worker on strike with UAW 833. “We're not looking for the world, we are just looking for a fair contract. That is all we are looking for.”

#KohlerWI #AutoUnitedAutoWorkers #UAW #KohlerStrike

Hammond, IN – By 4:00 p.m. Sept. 14, the negotiating committee from UAW Local 2335 had reached a tentative agreement with Lear Corporation. Over 700 workers walked off the job Sept. 13 demanding an end to the two-tier wage structure. In a major victory in the auto industry, the employer agreed to abolish the double standard in wages. Workers will return to work on Sept. 15 and have yet to ratify the agreement.

Fight Back! caught up with Mike Elliot, the chair of the Union Solidarity Committee of UAW Local 551 at the Ford assembly plant in Chicago. His local is the only local in the UAW that has a standing committee like this. Its mission is to build solidarity with other unions and social justice groups and mobilize members from the plant to picket lines, fights for justice, for women’s rights, human rights and even anti-eviction campaigns.

“Without solidarity, none of this would be possible. We set up shifts and brought out a great number of our members to the pickets lines at Lear,” Elliot said. “It was announced this afternoon that Lear Corporation agreed to abolish the two-tier wage structure and increase workers at the top by 1.5%”. The details of the agreement have not been made public yet, but workers on the picket lines were celebrating their fight today.

Elliot expressed how important this is to the 4500 workers at the assembly plant. “Our contract expires next year on Sept. 15, 2015. This is a major blow to what divides the workers: a two-tiered wage structure. You cannot survive long if you have people working next to one another doing the same work and one person is paid half of the other person.” Members of UAW Local 551 will be carefully building for their fight next year to dump the two-tier system there, he added.

#HammondIN #PeoplesStruggles #AutoUnitedAutoWorkers #UAW #Indiana #Workers #LearCorporation #AutoWorkers #wages