The United Auto Workers strike that began early on Friday is currently limited to three assembly plants – a GM factory in Wentzville, Missouri, a Ford plant near Detroit, and a Jeep facility in Toledo, Ohio operated by Stellantis.
However, if union President Shawn Fain decides to expand the national walkout with local action, workers at a Mopar parts distribution warehouse in Ontario are prepared to join the strike.
See also: What’s at stake as 13,000 workers go on strike at major US auto makers
Mopar is a division of Stellantis that supplies parts to dealerships in California, Nevada, and Arizona for various vehicle brands, including Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, and Ram. The Ontario facility has experienced significant job cuts in recent years, with the workforce shrinking from around 250 employees to just 137 due to outsourcing to low-paying, nonunion shops.
“This has resulted in shipping delays, incorrect orders, and dissatisfied customers,” said Jesse Ramirez, president of UAW Local 230. “These non-union operations have minimal or no safety standards, and products are being lost.”
Also see: ‘Can’t be understated’: Suppliers, dealers brace for impact of a UAW strike at automakers
Ramirez is advocating for the restoration of those lost jobs. Additionally, like other UAW members, the Ontario workers are demanding higher wages in light of the soaring profits at the Big Three automakers: Stellantis, Ford, and GM reported profits of $11.6 billion, $3.7 billion, and $5 billion, respectively, in the first half of 2023.
Last week, workers picketed the Ontario warehouse at 5141 Santa Ana St. to raise awareness of their cause. Jesse Ramirez, who has been working at the facility for 25 years and makes $31.67 an hour, highlighted the disparity in wages, stating, “Now, anyone hired after 2017 can only make a maximum of $25 an hour with no pension. The entry-level pay is about $19 an hour, and it takes them five years to reach $25.”
Also see: Striking actors, writers swarm Hollywood in massive solidarity march
The UAW workers are requesting a 36% across-the-board wage increase over four years. However, the automakers have made lower offers so far. Ford and GM have proposed a 20% increase over four years, while Stellantis has offered a 17.5% increase.
“Despite the rising cost of living, our pay has remained stagnant and low,” Ramirez emphasized.
According to The Associated Press, top-scale assembly plant workers currently earn approximately $32 per hour, in addition to receiving substantial annual profit-sharing checks. Ford stated that the average annual pay, including overtime and bonuses, was $78,000 last year.
Out of the total workforce of 146,000 employees at the three companies, around 13,000 are currently on strike, thereby disrupting operations for the automakers and depleting a portion of the union’s $825 million strike fund.
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If the contract negotiations prolong and the strikes extend to more plants, the costs will escalate for both workers and companies. Auto dealers may face shortages of vehicles, leading to price increases and potentially pushing customers towards nonunionized foreign automakers.
This situation could also place additional pressure on an economy that has been benefitting from reduced inflation.
In his televised remarks on Friday, President Biden acknowledged that the Big Three automakers are generating record profits that “have not been fairly shared, in my opinion, with workers.”
Biden said, “No one wants a strike. However, I respect the workers’ right to exercise their options within the collective bargaining system. Autoworkers have made significant sacrifices to keep the industry alive and robust, especially during the economic crisis and the pandemic. Workers deserve a fair share of the benefits they have helped create for the company.”
Ramirez emphasized the importance of spreading the UAW’s message, stating, “By raising awareness, we can unite against corporate greed and fight for fair wages, benefits, and job security. We stand together in solidarity.”
UAW Local 230 is a part of UAW Region 8, which comprises approximately 50,000 members across various states, including California, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, West Virginia, Maryland, and Florida.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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