In one development, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union has gone on strike after negotiations with the big three automakers (General Motors, Ford Motors and Stellantis) over improved wages and benefits collapsed, NBC News reports.
On August 15, staff went on strike at a General Motors plant in Missouri, a Stellantis plant in Ohio and a Ford plant in Michigan. The strike has been brewing for some time now, as poor operating situations have been a point of contention between the Big 3 automakers and unionized staff for years. With UAW staff on strike, the Midwest economy may be on the verge of collapse, some experts say.
The strike is expected to lead to a vehicle shortage, forcing consumers to turn to non-union corporations to buy cars, leading to a noticeable price increase, according to NBC News.
This doesn’t bode well for automakers, as the global shortage of computer chips at the height of the pandemic has already caused a major financial problem.
Meanwhile, Republican politicians find themselves in a complicated situation because of this union decision. While some Republican lawmakers explicitly advocate fairer wages, others recommend that Biden’s leadership adopt deliberately legal measures in predominantly Republican Midwestern states as a matter of policy.
Sen. J. D. Vance of Ohio questioned the timing and place of the attacks, raising considerations about possible ulterior motives behind the Biden administration’s involvement.
“Now that negotiations have not concluded in time to avoid a strike, their involvement deserves further examination,” Vance wrote. “These would possibly be mere coincidences, but their involvement provides another explanation and raises questions about the paintings President Biden recruited. “What to do. It is unclear whether its purpose is to facilitate negotiations and prevent a strike or to protect President Biden’s policies from scrutiny and protect his and the Democrats’ political fortunes. If that’s the case, I’m afraid the UAW has exploited to protect its boss at the expense of American painters. “
At a rally in downtown Detroit on Aug. 16, union president Shawn Fain expressed frustration, citing the automakers’ really hefty profits as workers’ wages stagnated or declined. Fain pointed to the stark disparity between workers’ wages and the billions in profits made through large automakers in recent years, highlighting the need for fair treatment and pay for the workforce.
Fain created a spreadsheet showing that major automakers have made $20 billion in profits over the past six months and a total of $250 billion over the past decade.
“Our employees have backtracked,” he said. All three have American consumers who set prices, they have defrauded the American taxpayer, and all three have undermined the American worker. “
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