UAW sues Trump and Musk • Detroit parks get free Wi-Fi • JD Vance back in Michigan
WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - The United Auto Workers Union has filed complaints against Donald Trump and Elon Musk, alleging the two advocated for firing striking workers.
The former President and the owner of X held a conversation on Musk's social media platform Monday night, where they touched on several subjects from immigration to Ukraine.
At one point, Trump and Musk were talking about workers who go on strike for better wages. Trump said if workers "go on strike, and you say ‘that’s okay, you're all gone. You're all gone.' So everyone is gone."
Under federal law, a company can not fire its employees if they are on strike.
The Unfair Labor Practices charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board, the UAW said Tuesday, just hours after the discussion. More than a million people tuned into the session.
"When we say Donald Trump is a scab, this is what we mean. When we say Trump stands against everything our union stands for, this is what we mean," said UAW President Shawn Fain in a news release.
Musk himself has been outspoken against unions, criticizing them for creating inequality among employees.
Tesla, which is also owned by Musk, is the only auto manufacturer in the U.S. whose workers are not unionized. While multiple efforts to unionize employees at the company have been made, none have been successful.
However, the company has been sued for implementing company policies that prevent workers from unionizing.
In filing a complaint with Musk and Trump, UAW leadership is escalating its criticism of both men. President Fain has pubically criticized both in recent appearances, including at a Democratic rally attended by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz last week.
"Really what Donald Trump was saying is that he's willing to confront the union bosses," said Lena Epstein, the Republican finance co-chair for the Trump campaign in Michigan. "I think as it comes to Mr. Fain, I believe that Donald Trump would be coming for him and his position. He’s very unhappy and disappointed with Fain’s performance."
Epstein also stated that Fain calling Trump a scab is "really inappropriate."
WWJ Auto Analyst Jeff Gilbert says it's unlikely the UAW charges are going to go anywhere, since Trump doesn’t own an auto company. But Musk does, and it’s not unionized.
"On one hand, (the union is) supporting Kamala Harris, so it's a chance to take a shot at Donald Trump," Gilbert said. "On another hand, they're trying to unionize a bunch of non-union factories, including Tesla factories, so they can take a shot at Elon Musk."
Nevertheless, if the national labor relations board decides to investigate and finds violations, it could impose penalties.
Detroit parks add free Wi-Fi
Five public parks in Detroit now offer free Wi-Fi as part of a pilot project between the city, the Detroit Parks Coalition, and Connect 313.
Bradby, Chandler, Clark, McDuffy, and Palmer parks will now all be outfitted with available internet thanks to $265,000 in grants from the Detroit Pistons, Rocket Community Fund, and the Knight Foundation.
Construction began in Summer 2023 and since, more than 25,0000 people have connected to the wireless option.
Pitched as a means for reducing Detroit's digital divide where not enough residents have access to internet, the pilot's funding helped cover the installation of the provider and the solar power charging stations. The city will formally announce the completion Wednesday.
JD Vance visits Michigan Wednesday
The vice presidential nominee on the Republican ticket will be back in Michigan this week, making his third separate visit to the state since being elevated to slot in July. JD Vance will deliver remarks at Byron Center, which is in Kent County on the state's west side near Grand Rapids.
Vance held a press conference outside the Shelby Township police department last Wednesday, where he took media questions. His visit preceded a trip by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the Democratic ticket's nominees who stopped for a rally outside Detroit later in the evening last week.
Vance will be at the Byron Center on Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. In a news release from the Michigan Republican Party announcing the visit, they criticized the high cost of living in the state before pitching a Trump-Vance plan to easing the financial pressures on Michigan households.
Vance's remarks will be delivered at 10100 Sedroc Industrial Drive.
Kidnapping thwarted in Sterling Heights
Officials thwarted a 7-year-old girl's kidnapping in Sterling Heights on Tuesday after a Good Samaritan and member of the Citizens on Patrol group helped save the victim.
A 23-year-old suspect from Shelby Township is now in custody, Sterling Heights police said. The dispatch center got a call around 2:20 p.m. about a disturbance in the park. The girl's uncle had been at North Clinton River Park with his wife and their son when the attempt happened.
"When (my wife) was heading out of the park, there was a guy that pulled up in a car, and he got out and ran after my niece, grabbed her by her hair and carried her to the car real quick, and tried to crawl over her into the driver’s seat and take off himself," Childers said. "She jumped into the car, hung on to the steering wheel and fought with him until they drove back and forth."
Family members intervened long enough before a member of the public got involved. Video will be released on Wednesday.
Attempted abduction of 7-year-old girl thwarted in Sterling Heights
"Unbeknownst to our officers, the suspect was wanted for a previous attempted kidnapping in Clinton Township earlier in the day," according to Sterling Heights police.
Detroit Youth Summit and the power of voting
Just a few weeks before the start of the school year, a group of youth gathered in Detroit to put a spotlight on their future. The Detroit Youth Summit brings 14- to 24-year-old participants together to discuss how to make a positive difference in their neighborhoods.
"This is where youth and leaders come together to build Detroit together," said Maria Franklin, L!FE Leaders. This year’s summit was held at the Wayne County Community College on Fort Street.
Jaedon Wizzard is a Cass Tech High School student and one of the participants. He says he is using the summit to make connections with other future leaders. "Right now it is the most important time for most of us, we're stepping on stage, 11th graders, maybe 12th graders, trying to get into college," he said.
The summit also builds awareness about the power of voting in elections. "I learned about voting and how if you are 17 and a half you can legally vote in Michigan," Wizzard said.
Live on FOX 2
Daily Forecast
Heat will build a little bit more Wednesday - but remain nice enough to enjoy before more inclement weather moves in. After today, rain will be in the forecast along lots of clouds.
What else we're watching
- Kamala Harris and other Democrats need to pump the brakes on electric vehicles, a new poll shows. A Michigan pollster found demand for battery-powered cars is still too far behind the public's interest.
- The woman behind several crashes over the weekend in Westland that led to her injuring two men has been arraigned. April Graves, 43, was drunk when she struck parked cars on Wildwood Street on Saturday.
- The Ducati dealership on Woodward in Birmingham has lost its business license after the state uncovered violations of fraud and forgery.
- The federal government plans to release official Cost-of-living adjustment increases for social security for next year in October. Data suggests the increase will be around $59 more per month.
- Construction continues to create headaches with more road work planned on M-14. MDOT plans to close the left lane today for repairs to a railroad bridge.
DOJ is considering breaking up Google: Report
The Department of Justice is considering breaking up Google after a court ruling determined that the tech company cornered the online search market.
A judge ruled on Aug. 5 that Google illegally monopolized the market for online search and search text ads. The California-based tech giant plans to appeal the decision, but the judge ordered Google and the DOJ to start plans for the second part of the case, involving the agency’s request to break up Google, per Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reports that this would be the DOJ’s first effort to break up Google for illegal monopolization since the agency attempted to dismantle Microsoft 20 years ago.