WAYNE, Mich. (WXYZ) — We are about to enter week three of the United Auto Workers' strike against Detroit's Big Three and with another Facebook Live announcement from UAW President Shawn Fain scheduled Friday at 10 a.m., the strike is likely to expand, per sources familiar with the union's strategy.
7 Action News anchor Brian Abel talked with workers on the picket line and an expert about what could come next.
Many members at Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne say their livelihoods are on the line.
“This plant, it put my kids through school, it put a roof over my head, it put meals on the table,” Wayne assembly plant union member Mike said.
For those like Mike at the end of a career, it’s their future on the line too.
Abel asked, “If these negotiations go the way that you hope they will, what does that mean for your retirement timeline?”
“That means that I’ll be gone by no later than April 2024,” Mike responded.
“So, this is critical for you?” Abel asked.
“This is critical for me,” Mike said.
Contract talks are at a critical junction. Already, numerous plants and facilities are on strike.
University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Michelle Fecteau says some automakers could be spared again.
“I think there’s been enough progress that I don’t expect Ford to have an expansion, and my understanding is there’s been some progress with GM,” said Fecteau, the director of the university's Center for Labor and Community Studies. “Stellantis, if there was going to be an expansion, that’s where I’d personally expect. Also to be considered is the limitations of the strike fund and to preserve the strike fund.”
“In order to preserve the strike fund, they could hit smaller shops down the chain that would have a chain reaction to the bigger shops?” Abel said.
“Correct. That would have a bottleneck effect,” Fecteau said.
Workers are hoping pressure from the strike will result in met demands.
“Two tiers was bad from the go. It makes no sense to have somebody doing the same back-breaking work for half the pay, sometimes not even half the pay,” Mike said. I really want, pray that something gets done with retirement benefits.”
“People don’t want to strike. They just want a fair deal,” Mike said.
On Friday morning, we will have more answers with Fain's Facebook Live.
