UAW President Shawn Fain Bold Move: Shawn Fain, UAW President, did something unprecedented 30 hours before the strike date. It was part of his plan to secure a deal for 150,000 workers at Detroit’s automakers.
In a historic move, Fain said that the union could tell workers at GM, Ford, and Stellantis NV to strike together for the first time in the UAW’s history. This plan starts after contracts end on Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET. Fain’s life changed after a Facebook video message.
The walkout is set for this Friday, with strikes expected to happen first. These actions aim to create disagreement and confusion among automakers, giving them time to discuss and find a solution.
Shawn Fain is a social media star who combines biblical advice with civil rights activism. He now shares financial analyses using charts and graphs instead of keeping them private.
Fain’s approach tackles automakers’ labor cost concerns directly. He shows they’ve invested heavily in buying back their stock, benefiting the owners. “If they can afford Wall Street, they likely can afford the product makers,” he said.
Over time, Fain sparks a bidding war among car companies. His aim is precise: make companies compete to avoid bankruptcy during a long strike. Fain’s ideas revolutionized the game. His rivals used one car to model the other two, but Fain’s views changed the game.
Fain’s social media use, news appearances, and alliances with politicians like Bernie Sanders are crucial for UAW’s contract negotiations against global corporations. He says: “We fight for the working class and the poor.”
Fain urges UAW workers to reverse 20 years of stagnant pay and reduced benefits. He argues against factory closures and the seniority-based pay system, where new hires earn up to 44% less than experienced colleagues.
If goals are achieved in this round of talks, it would be a big win. In the past, UAW-Detroit Three contracts favored small changes and cost-cutting through technology to improve efficiency.
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Fain has been in a union for 54 years with his grandpa’s UAW card. It’s a great way to recall the union’s history. Since July, Fain has improved onstage. Fain wore a black T-shirt with a Malcolm X quote in his early Facebook Live shows. He also said the phrase “by any means necessary,” popularized by Malcolm X. Fain, can lead in various ways.
He critiques the automakers’ pay and benefit offers in his office with a trash can labeled “Big Three Proposals.” He challenges their labor cost claims and emphasizes their massive spending on stock buybacks for owners.
When Detroit Three contracts end, Fain’s plan will be tested. GM and the union failed to agree before the 2019 deadline, causing a strike. The strike cost GM $3.6 billion and strained UAW members’ budgets.
The union’s strike fund was raised to $825 million for labor actions. Car makers can handle long strikes with ample funds.
Other labor groups, like Teamsters at UPS and Hollywood unions for writers and actors, have also shown newfound courage. UPS and other firms got raises, while artists and writers went on strikes for over 100 days.
Like Hollywood peers, new tech is causing issues for UAW workers at Detroit Three. There will need to be a better deal to solve the problem.