We don’t need communists to disrupt national production. We can make a mess of thing all by ourselves! Corporate greed, state neglect (“deplorables” and “globalization losers” are still very much alive and kicking), and inflation (aka economic cancer) are more than enough to cause a historic simultaneous strike of the workers of the auto industry…
n a historic move, the United Auto Workers (UAW) initiated a strike against the major Detroit automakers – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (maker of Chrysler and Jeep) – as their contract expired at 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday, September 14th. Approximately 13,000 autoworkers began picketing at assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri. This marks the first time in the UAW’s 88-year history that they’ve simultaneously gone on strike against these industry giants. The strike’s potential economic impact is considerable; a 10-day work stoppage could cost around $5.6 billion, including manufacturer losses and lost wages.
The UAW’s objectives include preserving their $825 million strike fund, sufficient to sustain a walkout for up to 11 weeks by their 146,000 members. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) urged a swift resolution, cautioning against widespread economic consequences. The strike could disrupt vehicle production and contribute to rising prices amid existing inflation concerns.
Key demands from the union include cost-of-living pay adjustments, ending forced overtime, enhanced pension benefits for retirees, and reinstating pensions for new hires. The strike underscores labor’s influence in a critical sector of the U.S. economy.
