UAW leaders: ‘Share the big profits fairly or go on strike’

On Wednesday, UAW leaders sent a clear message to union members: The union has high demands on its next contract negotiations with the Detroit Three and is ready to strike if the company doesn’t comply.

At the first-ever virtual town hall, UAW President Sean Fain, Treasury Secretary Margaret Mock and three union vice-presidents laid out their priorities, including ending the tiered wage system. recover the rising cost of living And add stronger job protection to prevent future factory closures. Ford Motor, General Motors and Stellatis have made enough profits in recent years that they don’t need concessions from their employees, they said.

“They can afford our demands and we expect them to be pleased,” Fain said. “Now is the time for us to get our fair share.”

Leaders used graphs and charts to contrast corporate profits and union wages, sometimes in a defiant manner. Fain said the Detroit Three have made so much money over the past decade that even if they combined all the professional baseball, basketball and hockey teams, they would still have billions of dollars left over. rice field.

Executive Vice President Rich Boyer, head of the Stellantis division, said GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford’s Jim Farley and Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares are paid more than the average worker’s wages. accused of being

“When people say we’re family, remember that,” Ms. Boyer said. “We are not family.”

The next round of negotiations is expected to be difficult and controversial, as automakers try to keep costs down while unions struggle for higher wages and benefits.Trade union leaders, most of whom newly elected and didn’t run away from it divisive rhetoric, Wednesday, said they were not afraid to strike. The contract between the automaker and the UAW expires in September.