UAW Votes to Authorize Potential Strike at Detroit Carmakers

United Auto Workers members voted to authorize union leaders to call strikes if a deal is not reached with Detroit carmakers.

The Details: The vote doesn’t guarantee a strike, but it does give union negotiators a stronger position in ongoing talks with the “Detroit Three” automakers: General Motors, Ford Motor, and Stellantis. While some votes were still being tallied, UAW said about 97% of the roughly 150,000 workers involved voted in favor; the Detroit Free Press (Lean Left bias) said the vote was “more of a formality and was expected to pass.” To avoid a strike, negotiators must reach a deal before the current contract expires on September 14.

Key Quotes: “Our goal is not to strike, our goal is to bargain a good contract for our members,” UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday, adding that union members should “prepare for a strike so that we’re ready no matter what happens.” In a statement, President Joe Biden said the new contracts “should enable workers to make good wages and benefits to support their families, while leading us into a future where America is leading the way in reducing vehicle emissions and producing autos that will successfully compete domestically and globally.”

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was most common in business-focused outlets, which tend to be more moderate than political news sources. Coverage across the partisan spectrum quoted both sides of the labor dispute, often highlighting Fain’s “aggressive” role.