Thursday, May 2, 2024

UAW president reacts to automakers’ temporary layoffs of non-striking employees: ‘Their plan won’t work’

The head of the United Auto Workers mentioned plans via two automakers to briefly lay off non-striking workers “won’t work,” because the unheard of strike enters the second one day.

The UAW, which represents just about 150,000 autoworkers, began a strike early Friday morning in opposition to the Big Three automakers — General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. Nearly 13,000 employees walked out of 3 auto vegetation in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. The union is using a “stand-up” strike manner to goal explicit vegetation and upload to the checklist if a deal is not reached.

PHOTO: United Auto Workers members march through downtown Detroit, Mich., on Sept. 15, 2023. The UAW is conducting a strike against Ford, Stellantis and General Motors.

United Auto Workers participants march via downtown Detroit, Mich., on Sept. 15, 2023. The UAW is engaging in a strike in opposition to Ford, Stellantis and General Motors.

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Paul Sancya/AP

Hours after the strike began, Ford introduced it instructed 600 employees who collect vehicles at a plant in Michigan now not to document to paintings that day, mentioning the “knock-on effects” of the strike. Workers within the paint division at a close-by plant are out on strike, leaving the meeting employees with out ok portions, because the portions require paint ahead of they are able to be put in combination into vehicles, the corporate mentioned in a remark to ABC News.

“Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW’s targeted strike strategy will have knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage,” Ford mentioned.

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GM additionally mentioned on Friday it plans to idle 2,000 employees at its Fairfax meeting plant in Kansas once early subsequent week due to a “ripple effect” of the strike at its Wentzville meeting plant in Missouri. The strike will imply a scarcity of “critical stampings” equipped via Wentzville to Fairfax, GM mentioned.

“We have said repeatedly that nobody wins in a strike, and that effects go well beyond our employees on the plant floor and negatively impact our customers, suppliers and the communities where we do business,” GM mentioned in a remark. “What happened to our Fairfax team members is a clear and immediate demonstration of that fact.”

Stellantis has now not introduced any plans to lay off employees amid the moves.

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PHOTO: United Auto Workers members attend a solidarity rally as the UAW strikes the Big Three automakers, on Sept.15, 2023, in Detroit, Mich.

United Auto Workers participants attend a harmony rally because the UAW moves the Big Three automakers, on Sept.15, 2023, in Detroit, Mich.

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

UAW president Shawn Fain replied to the bulletins on Saturday.

“Let’s be clear: if the Big Three decide to lay people off who aren’t on strike, that’s them trying to put the squeeze on our members to settle for less,” Fain mentioned in a remark. “With their record profits, they don’t have to lay off a single employee. In fact, they could double every autoworker’s pay, not raise car prices, and still rake in billions of dollars.”

“Their plan won’t work,” the remark persevered. “The UAW will make sure any worker laid off in the Big Three’s latest attack will not go without an income. We’ll organize one day longer than they can and go the distance to win economic and social justice at the Big Three.”

A UAW supply instructed ABC News on Saturday afternoon the union had “reasonably productive conversations with Ford today.”

Economists up to now instructed ABC News a strike may just lead to billions of greenbacks in losses, disruption to the availability chain and different monetary penalties.

Stellantis equipped an outline Saturday night of what used to be introduced throughout Sept. 14 negotiations with UAW prior to the strike starting, announcing “it is imperative to set the record straight and provide the facts of Stellantis’ highly competitive offer.”

Stellantis mentioned its offer would offer cumulative raises of just about 21% for hourly wages, with an instantaneous 10% build up if a freelance is ratified.

The proprietor of Chrysler mentioned in Saturday’s press unencumber, “We have listened and will continue to bargain in good faith until an agreement is reached. We look forward to getting everyone back to work as soon as possible.”

Sticking issues in negotiations have been salary will increase and the duration of the workweek.

President Joe Biden mentioned Friday he’s deploying appearing Labor Secretary Julie Su and White House senior adviser Gene Sperling to Detroit to be offering their reinforce for the events in achieving an settlement.

ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this document.

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