UAW again threatens to expand strikes at Detroit automakers if progress isn’t made by Friday

September 27, 2023 by admin 17 Comments

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Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 230 and their supporters walk the picket line in front of the Chrysler Corporate Parts Division in Ontario, California, on September 26, 2023, to show solidarity for the “Big Three” autoworkers currently on strike.

Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images

DETROIT – The United Auto Workers union will announce expanded strikes at General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis plants if the sides don’t make significant progress in negotiations by 10 a.m. ET Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The new union-imposed deadline comes a week after the UAW announced it would expand its initial Sept. 15 strikes at assembly plants of each of the Detroit automakers to 38 additional parts and distribution locations for GM and Stellantis. The UAW did not expand its strikes at Ford, citing progress in those talks.

Like a week earlier, it’s expected that UAW President Shawn Fain will host a Facebook Live event to announce which plants will walk out at noon Friday, barring progress in the talks.

The strikes currently involve about 18,300 workers, or 12.5% of the UAW’s 146,000 members whose labor contracts expired on Sept. 14.

Spokespeople for the Detroit automakers did not immediately respond for comment Wednesday.

The union’s new deadline comes a day after President Joe Biden joined Fain and union members, becoming the first-known sitting president to walk a picket line with striking auto workers. The commander-in-chief also voiced support for the union and its demands, including a 40% wage increase during the life of the contract.

This is a developing story. Please check back for additional updates.

This article was originally published by Cnbc.com. Read the original article here.