Detroit Evening Report: UAW President Shawn Fain threatens more work stoppages, sets new deadline
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” podcast.
A person holds up a sign that says "Detroit is a union town" on Sept. 15, 2023, in Wayne, Mich.
The United Auto Workers union is on strike against Detroit’s automakers for a fifth day.
Listen and Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report
NPR | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
In a video released on Facebook Monday night, union president Shawn Fain said if the automakers drag their feet in negotiations, the consequences will include expanding work stoppages at more assembly plants.
“If we don’t make serious progress by noon on Friday, September 22, more locals will be called on the stand up and join the strike,” Fain warned. “That will mark more than a week since our first members walked out.”
Read: What the UAW strike means for Michiganders
Fain says striking workers are doing their part — and so are the ones that stayed on the job.
“Just as importantly, all the rest of you stayed on the job. That is the only way the strategy works. We’re going to keep hitting the company where we need to — when we need to — and we’re not going to keep waiting around forever while they drag this out.”
Key issues in the labor dispute include pay, benefits and job security.
Editor’s note: Some employees of WDET are members of UAW Local 1979 — a different bargaining group that’s unaffected by these negotiations.
Other headlines for Sept. 19, 2023:
- Latest Motor City Match business Craig’s Coffee opening in Midtown this week
- Detroit to demolish Eastern Market building that partially collapsed
- Michigan State moves forward to fire Mel Tucker
WDET reporter Russ McNamara contributed to this story.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
