UAW Makes History with Strike Against Big 3 Automakers
At the Detroit Three automakers, a historic strike is now in progress.
After failing to reach an agreement on a new contract by Thursday at 11:59 p.m., the United Auto Workers union is striking against the Big Three automakers at once for the first time.
However, the walkout won't result in a mass resignation of the almost 150,000 union employees who work for the three automakers.
As of right now, less than 13,000 employees — or less than 9% of the UAW membership at the three firms — are participating in the strike.
Fain said, "This is our generation's defining moment," at a Facebook Live event on Thursday. "The world is watching, the money is there, and the cause is just."
The UAW's conventional strategy, which has often required having all union members at a particular employer leave their jobs simultaneously, has been altered by the targeted strikes.
Still, Fain did not rule eventually having all union workers at the Big Three automakers walk off the job at once.