UAW Threatens to Expand Strike at 'Big Three' Auto Plants

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--As the United Auto Workers Union's (UAW) unprecedented strike against Detroit's Big Three Automakers approaches a full week, there is still no noticeable progress toward a settlement. According to the Associated Press, the UAW plans to expand the strike to other plants, unless there is major progress in the contract negotiations by Noon EDT on Friday, September 22.

Representatives from Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) (Dearborn, Michigan), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) (Detroit, Michigan) and Stellantis/Chrysler (NYSE:STLA) (Hoofddorf, Netherlands) maintain that they are continuing to bargain in good faith and are hopeful for a settlement soon. This is on the heels of a tentative agreement between Ford and the Canadian union Unifor to avert a strike at several plants in Canada, which they hope to use a framework for deals with GM and Stellantis in Canada as well.

Right now, the Biden administration has backed off plans to involve Labor Secretary Julie Su and Senior Advisor Gene Sperling in talks with both sides, preferring the talks between the union and automakers to continue. Currently, the UAW strike is at three plants: Ford's assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan; GM's plant in Wentzville, Missouri; and Stellantis' assembly complex in Toledo, Ohio.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Industrial Manufacturing Plant Database can read detailed plant profiles on the Ford, GM and Stellantis plants. Subscribers also can click here for a full list of U.S.-based auto plant profiles for these three companies.

Meanwhile, GM said Wednesday it has idled production at its assembly plant in Fairfax, Kansas, due to a shortage of critical stampings that would have been supplied by its plant in Wentzville, Missouri, where workers have been on strike, according to CNBC. About 2,000 of its workers in Kansas were laid off on Wednesday as a result of the ripple effect of the strike. Subscribers can click here for the plant profile for the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City.

Stellantis also laid off about 370 workers at three parts factories that supply its Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio, where the UAW went on strike last week, according to CNBC.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).