The union representing workers of U.S. carmakers will announce today whether its strike will expand to more plants as negotiations failed to advance on Friday.
A wider strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) could include units of Ford, General Motors and Stellantis that build more profitable pickups and trucks.
“If we don’t make serious progress by noon, on Friday Sept. 22, more locals will be called on to stand up and join the strike,” UAW President Shawn Fain said on a video post on Sept. 18. “We’re not waiting around and we’re not messing around.”
Fain is expected to make an announcement in the next few hours.
On Thursday, automakers and unions were still disagreeing on several topics after negotiation all day, The New York Times reported, citing three people familiar with the talks who asked not to be named.
Nearly 13,000 auto workers went on strike on Sept. 15 at units of Ford, GM and Stellantis. Union leaders are asking for a 36% wage increase over four years, to match the similar recent pay increase for top executives.
The UAW’s argument is that workers agreed to lower wages at the peak of the auto industry crisis, but salaries have never returned to previous levels, while profits and executive pay have. The automakers have proposed 20% raises over 4-1/2 years.
A full month without output would cost the three automakers $7 billion to $8 billion in lost profits, Morgan Stanley analysts estimate, according to Reuters.
On Tuesday, Ford reached a deal that avoided a walkout at its Canadian operations.
