The UAW strikes hitting the Detroit Three automakers — GM, Ford and Stellantis — could widen the electric vehicle gap between them and Tesla, which already controls 60 percent of the EV market.
The three Detroit automakers all use union labor, and those workers are represented by the United Auto Workers union — Tesla does not. If the Detroit Three meet all of the union’s demands, it could more than double the cost of paying a worker over the current amount. Already, industry insiders say labor costs at GM, Ford and Stellantis are considerably higher than they are at the electric car maker.
But Tesla workers have attempted to unionize its factories in the past. While attempts have so far been unsuccessful, recent polls show about two-thirds of Americans are supportive of unions.