The United Auto Workers (UAW) union accused General Motors and Stellantis of not bargaining in good faith Thursday, just two weeks out from a potential strike.
UAW President Shawn Fain said the union has filed unfair labor practices charges against two of the Big Three automakers with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The third member of the Big Three, Ford, was not included in the complaint.
“UAW family, I’m sad to report that the Big Three are either not listening or they are not taking us seriously,” Fain said in a Facebook Live update to union members. “We are now 14 days out from our contract expiration, and both General Motors and Stellantis have failed to give us any economic counters.”
“GM and Stellantis’s willful refusal to bargain in good faith is not only insulting and counterproductive, it’s also illegal,” he added.
While Fain acknowledged the importance of seeking assistance from the NLRB to hold the automakers accountable, he noted that “at the end of the day, our strongest line of defense is each other and our ability to take collective action.”
“Unfortunately, many employers across the country are willing to break the law and incur the meager fines and penalties that result as just the cost of union busting,” Fain said.
An overwhelming majority of workers in the union voted last week to authorize a strike against the Big Three on Sept. 14, if they fail to reach a “fair deal” in negotiations.