The battle between the United Auto Workers union and Detroit's ÿBig Threeÿ automakers is revving up as tens of thousands of union members say they're prepared to walk off the job if changes to their labor contract aren't made.þþÿWe are loyal when we show up to these corporations every single day and we do not spend that time with our family,ÿ said Jessie Kelly, UAW Local 160 member. ÿWe show up and we make them multi-million-dollar profits.ÿþþThe current contract is set to expire Sept. 14 but negotiations on a new one are still ongoing.þþSome employees say they're struggling to pay their bills, even while making the top wage for their position. Others say they're often left working seven day a week and are missing out on valuable family time in the process.þþÿMom guilt through the roof,ÿ said Kiada Shanklin, an employee at the Stellantis assembly plant. ÿLike coming home and seeing my kid learned something new or did something new, and I wasn't even there to cheer them on through it. That hurts.ÿþþThe UAW's list of demands includes more paid time off, a 32-hour workweek, a double-digit pay increase, and an end to wage tiers. UAW President Shawn Fain says if those needs aren't met by the 14th, then ÿwe gotta do what we gotta do.ÿþþÿI'm tired. I'm tired after 29 years as a member of this union, and I know you're tired of watching things go backwards,ÿ Fain said. ÿAnd we're here today to stop that. We're here to turn that around.ÿþþFain is a fairly new addition to the union leadership team. He won the presidency back in March, becoming the first-ever UAW head to be elected by its members.þþGeneral Motors, Stellantis and Ford have said in their own separate statements that they're working with UAW members on solutions and are aware of the economic impact of the jobs in question. GM in particular said, ÿWe continue to bargain in good faith each day to support our team members, our customers and dealers, the community, our suppliers, and the business.ÿþþAccording to a recent analysis by Anderson Economic Group, a potential UAW strike could cost the ÿBig Threeÿ more than $5 billion in just 10 days.
Source: 10news.com
