The UAW outlined plans for a series of strikes targeting individual U.S. auto plants, in what would be their first-ever simultaneous walkout against the Detroit 3 automakers.
The escalation comes as negotiations over a new deal, which began in July, between the union and automakers Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Chrysler parent Stellantis have yet to result in an agreement.
Here is a timeline of events beginning with the election of the new UAW chief in March:
March 25: Shawn Fain wins the race for the role of UAW president; vows to take a tough stance with the Detroit 3 automakers.
July 10: The union says it will open contract talks with the Detroit 3 automakers starting July 13.
July 11: Fain says the union is not afraid to hold a strike at any of the automakers without a fair contract.
July 19: Fain meets President Joe Biden at the White House as the union briefed the staff on contract talks with the Detroit 3 automakers.
Aug. 1: The UAW presents demands to Stellantis, says the union is seeking ambitious benefit increases from the Detroit 3, including double-digit pay rises and defined-benefit pensions for all workers.
Aug. 2: The union presents contract demands to General Motors.
Aug. 3: The union presents contract demands to Ford Motor Co.
Aug. 8: Fain angrily tosses contract proposals from Stellantis in a trash can, citing numerous concessions that the Chrysler parent is seeking in labor talks.
Aug. 25: The UAW says 97% of voting members were in favor of authorizing a strike at the Detroit 3 if an agreement is not reached before Sept. 14.
Aug. 31: The union says it has filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against GM and Stellantis, saying they have refused to bargain in good faith.
Aug. 31: Ford makes a contract offer to the UAW, providing hourly employees with 15% guaranteed combined wage increases, lumpsum payments and improved benefits over the life of the contract.
Sept 6: The UAW says it makes a labor contract counterproposal on economic issues to Ford.
Sept. 7: GM makes counteroffer to the UAW that includes a 10% wage hike and two additional 3% annual lumpsum payments over four years. Fain calls the offer “insulting.”
Sept. 8: Stellantis says it offered U.S. hourly workers a 14.5% wage hike over four years but no lumpsum payments.
Sept. 8: Fain says the UAW union wants a deal to avoid walkouts at the Detroit 3 but expects to go on strike against all of them if they do not improve their contract offers.
Sept. 11: Stellantis says it plans to make a new counteroffer to the UAW after the union made its own revised offer on Sunday ahead of the expiration of the current four-year labor deal Thursday night.
Sept. 13: The UAW rejected counteroffers from the automakers and outlined plans for strikes targeting individual U.S. auto plants in what would be its first-ever simultaneous strike against the Detroit 3.