SHARONVILLE, Ohio — With no deal made between the United Auto Workers and the Big Three (General Motors, Stellantis and Ford) Thursday, the UAW initiated its "Stand Up Strike" strategy.
Three plants are the first to strike: GM Wentzville Assembly, Local 2250 in Missouri; Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex, Local 12 in northern Ohio; and Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, Local 900 in Michigan.
UAW Local 863 President Tod Turner said he was surprised the Ford Sharonville Transmission Plant was not among those striking Friday because it makes the transmission for one of the most popular vehicles in the world — the Ford F-250.
Still, the number of plants striking could increase in the coming days if an agreement is not reached.
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Turner said there's a lot at stake for the 1,800 auto workers in the Tri-State, noting that employees have been giving companies concessions in pay and benefits through every major downturn — whether that be the housing crisis or a global pandemic — for more than a decade.
"We're fighting ... to make sure that we get some of those gains back. It's time to do that," Turner said. "We did all of the hard work when they were struggling, and now they're making billions."
While Sharonville workers will go back to work, they will not be working under any contract. Turner said that means all of the rules are gone. Workers will continue business as usual, but some powers like the right to arbitration are off the table as they work.
Janet Harrah, an economist at Haile College of Business at Northern Kentucky University, said the length of the strike will determine how the public is impacted.
"If it's a two- or three-week strike, it won't have an overall impact on the U.S. economy," Harrash said. "If it starts to get to three or four months, then it will start having an economic impact across the country."
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By that point, inventory of new cars would become an issue, which means higher prices for both new and used cars as well as fewer repair parts for everyone else. The price of cars not made in the U.S. could also increase due to demand.
The UAW has $825 million in its strike fund, enough to pay 150,000 UAW members $500 a week for 11 weeks.
In most cases, workers on strike are not eligible for unemployment benefits. Members who find other work during the strike won't get strike pay if making more than $500 a week. Strike benefits do cover health care, but do not cover vision, hearing, dental, sick or accident benefits.
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