United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain announced on Friday that the union is prepared to call for additional workers at Big Three facilities to go on strike “at any time.” This move marks a shift in the labor movement’s approach, with Fain stating during a scheduled address to the membership, “We are entering a new phase of this fight, and it demands a new approach.”
The UAW surprised markets on Wednesday by calling for a strike expansion at Ford Motor Co.’s Kentucky pickup truck plant, resulting in 8,700 workers walking out and impacting the automaker’s profits at its core. The strike commenced on September 14.
According to Fain, during negotiations, Ford offered the same deal that had been presented two weeks prior. It was this lack of progress from Ford, General Motors Co., and Stellantis NV that prompted the UAW to change its strategy.
Fain emphasized, “With the threat of a strike, we can get them moving. We changed the rules, and now there’s only one rule: pony up.”
