(WXYZ) — The United Auto Workers union contract deadline has now officially passed with no sign of a deal with any of Detroit’s Big Three automakers: General Motors, Stellantis and Ford.
The deadline for a new contract was 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14.
Related: Here's what vehicles are built at the 3 plants the UAW is striking
Late Thursday, UAW President Shawn Fain identified the following plants as initial strike targets, instructing workers to walk out after the deadline:
- GM Wentzville Assembly, Local 2250 (Missouri)
- Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex, Local 12 (Ohio)
- Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, final assembly and paint only, Local 900 (Michigan)
Fain revealed Wednesday what they are calling a "Stand Up Strike" strategy, where they strike the Big Three but at a limited number of targeted locations. Based on how the bargaining is going, Fain said they could announce more locals to stand up and strike throughout the process. He said the locals that aren't called to strike would maintain "a constant strike readiness" as they work under an expired agreement.
There are nearly 150,000 UAW members working for the Big Three.
Last month, the UAW said 97% of workers voted to authorize a strike against the Big 3.
Earlier in August, the union presented their list of demands to Ford, GM and Stellantis. They were asking for a double-digit pay increase, an elimination of the two-tier wage system, restoring cost of living pay, retiree health coverage, a 32-hour work week with 40 hours of pay and more.
After the strike deadline, Stellantis released the following statement:
"We are extremely disappointed by the UAW leadership's refusal to engage in a responsible manner to reach a fair agreement in the best interest of our employees, their families and our customers. We immediately put the Company in contingency mode and will take all the appropriate structural decisions to protect our North American operations and the Company."
General Motors released the following statement regarding the strike at their Missouri plant:
“The UAW has informed GM that they are on strike at Wentzville Assembly in Missouri as of 11:59 PM. We are disappointed by the UAW leadership's actions, despite the unprecedented economic package GM put on the table, including historic wage increases and manufacturing commitments. We will continue to bargain in good faith with the union to reach an agreement as quickly as possible for the benefit of our team members, customers, suppliers and communities across the U.S. In the meantime, our priority is the safety of our workforce.”
Ford issued a statement Thursday saying the UAW presented a counterproposal to the automaker a few hours before the contract deadline.
"Unfortunately, the UAW’s counterproposal tonight showed little movement from the union’s initial demands submitted Aug. 3. If implemented, the proposal would more than double Ford’s current UAW-related labor costs, which are already significantly higher than the labor costs of Tesla, Toyota and other foreign-owned automakers in the United States that utilize non-union-represented labor," the statement read in part.
The UAW has well over $800 million in the strike fund, and many workers we spoke with during negotiations said they were willing to fight for what they wanted. Workers who are on strike will get $500 a week in strike pay.
A strike will have an economic impact far beyond the auto industry, with restaurants near plants, auto parts suppliers and more being affected.
The UAW also went on strike against GM in 2019 after failing to reach a tentative contract agreement. That strike lasted from Sept. 15 through Oct. 25 after an agreement was reached on Oct. 16 but ratified nine days later.
