A battle between Detroit carmakers and the United Auto Workers union, which escalated on Friday with targeted strikes in three locations, is unfolding amid a once-in-a-century technological upheaval that poses huge risks for both the companies and the union.
The strike has come as the traditional automakers invest billions to develop electric vehicles while still making most of their money from gasoline-driven cars.
The negotiations will determine the balance of power between workers and management, possibly for years to come.
That makes the strike as much a struggle for the industry’s future as it is about wages, benefits and working conditions.
Pay is one of the biggest sticking points: The union is demanding a 40 percent pay increase over four years but the automakers have offered roughly half as much.
Persons:
Ram —, Henry Ford’s
Organizations:
Detroit carmakers, United Auto Workers union, Motors, Ford Motor, Chrysler, Jeep
Locations:
Ohio , Michigan, Missouri