Negotiations between United Auto Workers representatives and Detroit-Three executives are proceeding slowly despite ongoing strikes, according to remarks by UAW president Shawn Fain.
Speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation” over the weekend, Fain said “progress is slow,” as the union rejected an offer from Stellantis that would have increased pay by 21%. United Auto Workers leaders are seeking a 46% wage hike over the next four years to match the average income growth of top OEM executives. The UAW chief did express some positivity during his TV appearance. “The good thing that I see in all this is our members are out there manning the picket lines with our allies…” he commented. “This is about working-class people standing up.” Additionally, talks with Ford on Saturday were described as “reasonably productive.”
Over the weekend, the Biden Administration announced it would send senior advisor Gene Sperling and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to assist with negotiations in the hopes of picking up the pace. Despite its historically Democrat leanings, the union has so far refused to endorse the President in his 2024 re-election campaign. “Our endorsements are going to be earned,” Fain re-affirmed during his “Face the Nation” address. Despite this, the United Auto Workers organization has distanced itself from Republican candidate Donald Trump, with Fain stating that a second Trump term “would be a disaster.” In an appearance on Sunday’s edition of “Meet the Press” on NBC, the GOP frontrunner admitted he did not personally know the UAW chief but criticized him for “not doing a good job in representing his union…”
United Auto Workers members are now on their fourth day of striking against Stellantis, General Motors and Ford, marking the first time that all three Detroit automakers have been targeted by employee walkouts.
