UAW's Fight Against the Big 3 Auto Manufacturers - A Statement from Cincinnati Socialists

Taken from UAW Twitter // @UAW

Following the news that the United Auto Workers Have authorized a strike amongst its membership to protest the anti-union and anti-worker attitude of the big 3 auto manufacturers (GM, Ford, and Stellantis), as well as the plants engaging in a strike as of 9/15, Cincinnati Socialists looks to stand with the workers and their families who have been left behind while the big 3 have reaped exorbitant profits.

In a recent update from Vice President Rich Boyer, the UAW reaffirmed its position of  “no concessions” on their demands for the elimination of the tiered wage system, the raising of union wages, the restoration of COLA (Cost of Living Adjustments), the introduction of benefit pensions for all workers, the re-establishing of retiree medical benefits, creating a recognized right to strike over plant closures, the creation of a working family protection program in the event of a shutdown, an end to the abuse of temp workers by management, more paid time off, and an increase to retiree pay. Meanwhile, UAW subcommittees are being bombarded with company proposals that want the union to concede more ground while ignoring most if not all of these union demands.

This attitude is representative of these companies’ attitudes towards their employees in general, and union employees in particular, since the ‘08 financial crisis and since their creation. Ford, GM and Stellantis have made a combined $21 billion in profits in just the first six months of this year. That’s on top of the quarter-trillion dollars in North American profits the big 3 made over the last decade. While they have stripped away union benefits, these manufacturers have also relocated factories and jobs overseas or across state lines to bypass union contracts and semi-strong labor legislation. While the companies have continuously cried that they’re close to bankruptcy, they have simultaneously raked in record profits. The CEOs of the big 3 raked in 300-400 times more in compensation than the median pay for workers in their respective companies (that’s 1000 times more than their part-time workers by the way.) Whole towns and cities are being left destitute as they continue their march to profit and away from any democratic process and progress especially. This neglect and abuse of American workers has to end now, and the only way it can end is with a strike by the united workers of the UAW, the refusal of everyday citizens to cross their picket line, and the support of a community that recognizes the democratic rights of these workers.

These hardships and the potential hardships of a strike affect working-class people, especially working-class people of color, more dearly than the individual CEOs of the companies that would be affected. However, the same cannot be said of the company itself, whose success represents the only way these executives keep their jobs. According to the Anderson Economic Group, a strike would cost the companies $5 Billion in just the first ten days while the UAW strike fund would pay each member $500 a week following the first week of a strike, for as long as the strike lasts, to ensure workers receive their basic necessities.

It is our job as organizers to help facilitate this strike and to aid these workers with every means at our disposal. We cannot stand silently, while these capitalists and their politicians bully the American working class into more concessions like we’ve seen in the past few decades. It’s time to stand up with the men and women on the assembly and the picket lines and say enough is enough, we are here with you, and we have your back no matter the outcome. Only together can we destroy the corrupt and immoral capitalist class that is exemplified by the big 3 auto manufacturers. Solidarity forever, for the union makes us strong!