UAW President Fain sends warning to Stellantis in his State of the Union address
UAW President Fain sends warning to Stellantis in his State of the Union address
Fain has been warning Stellantis for weeks now about what he says is an automaker not honoring its contract with the UAW. He says the goal is not to strike, but also says union members are prepared to once again walk the picket line.
FOX 2 (WJBK) - Eighteen months after his election as head of the United Auto Workers, President Shawn Fain used social media to deliver his state of the union address.
Fain has cautioned Stellantis for several weeks regarding what he alleges as the automaker's failure to honor its contract with the UAW. He maintains that striking is not the objective, but he affirms that union members are ready to walk the picket lines if necessary.
Since assuming leadership of the union, Fain has faced challenges from Detroit's automakers, including General Motors, Ford Motor Co., and Stellantis.
"What began as a new method of bargaining with the Big Three has evolved into a completely new strategy for contract disputes throughout our union," Fain stated.
He covered a range of issues, from the efficacy of stand-up strikes to gaining new union members in the South with Volkswagen and other nontraditional automakers.
"Collectively, across the three companies, offers increased by 93 percent as a result of our stand-up strike," he claimed.
Furthermore, Fain emphasized job stability as the industry shifts toward new energy sources like electric vehicles (EVs).
"Thanks to the significant federal investments from the Biden-Harris administration, there are dozens of EV battery plants under construction across the country," he said. "This is the future of the automotive industry, and if we aim to prevent the industry from becoming a race to the bottom, with workers earning poverty wages in perilous conditions, then those jobs must be UAW jobs."
He asserts that job security persists despite a downturn in auto sales.
"Every day these companies manufacture cars is a day they generate profit," he noted. "They require these plants to be operational continuously, and these corporations are not invulnerable."
Fain also addressed future challenges in his speech, particularly focusing on tension with Stellantis, which he accuses of breaching its contract regarding the closure of a plant in Illinois and the cessation of Dodge Durango production in Detroit.
"Our response to this plan is straightforward, and it's two words: 'Hell no,'" he said.
Fain is organizing a rally outside the Stellantis Stamping Plant in Sterling Heights with the hope of averting another strike if possible.
