Top executives at US automakers Ford Motor Co. and General Motors are now angry that a major strike has expanded. It was announced on Friday that more employees will leave their jobs. The strike has entered its third week, and there appears to be no end in sight.
The strike was organized by the UAW auto union. According to GM President Mary Barra, the union does not want to reach an agreement and the UAW is putting the future of its company at risk. She also said that UAW President Shawn Fain essentially wants to put himself in the spotlight through the campaign.
Ford CEO Jim Farley stated that the UAW wants to hold automakers hostage to the strike and that the union’s demands could have very negative consequences for the auto industry. He also said jobs at suppliers were at risk.
On Friday, another 7,000 workers at Ford and General Motors plants in the United States joined the strike. The UAW refrained from expanding the strike at Chrysler’s parent company Stellantis because negotiations there would have gone more smoothly. About 25,000 employees of the three auto companies are now participating in the strike in dozens of factories.
The UAW and automakers are at odds over wage increases and other benefits. The union wants factory employees to receive 40 percent higher wages. The companies, known as Detroit’s Big Three, offer just over 20 percent and without the benefits required by the UAW.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden visited Detroit. Then he announced his support for the union’s demands.
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