UAW Expands Strike to Stellantis Pickup Truck Plant

Facts

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union Monday expanded its ongoing strike to include 6.8K workers at Stellantis’ Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, the company’s largest plant and where it builds its popular Ram light-duty pickup trucks.¹
More than 40K union members have now gone on strike against the three big Detroit automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler-parent Stellantis — since walkouts began September 15.²
Three days before the strike’s expansion, UAW president Shawn Fain said there had been progress in negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis, but the union was awaiting better offers. No progress with Ford has been reported.³
The UAW has now conducted two 'surprise' target strikes in two weeks. Previously on October 11, the union walked out of Ford’s largest plant, the Kentucky Truck Plant.⁴
In a statement, Stellantis said it’s 'outraged' and expected to receive a 'counter-proposal' from the UAW after the last round of negotiations rather than a walkout.⁵

Narrative A, as provided by The Wall Street Journal. Stellantis has already made many concessions to the union’s demands, but it appears the UAW might not be negotiating in good faith. Fain’s fiery rhetoric isn't helping matters, and the UAW should consider being more conciliatory and think more about how its strikes are affecting the future of the auto industry. The companies are run by accomplished and shrewd businessmen who might figure out ways to succeed with smaller workforces.
Narrative B, as provided by Washington Post. Stellantis presented the UAW with the worst proposal of the three companies. But all three automakers have much more to give based on their bottom lines, and the UAW is ready to keep striking until the companies get closer to the desired cost-of-living adjustment, progression to full pay, and starting pay offer for temporary workers. The automakers need to take care of their workers or they will be facing strikes for the foreseeable future.