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Fain acknowledged some union members want to vote on the offers the union bargainers have in hand. He urged UAW members not to give in to what he called "fear, uncertainty, doubt and division" sowed by the companies. More than 34,000 union members working at the three automakers are on strike since the walkouts began on Sept. 15. The demand included a 20% immediate increase, elimination of different pay scales among UAW workers and restoration of defined benefit pension plans. The GM offer "suggests we may be in the endgame," said University of California Berkeley labor professor Harley Shaiken.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Shawn Fain, Fain, General Motors GM.N, Harley Shaiken, Ford, We've, Stellantis, Ford hasn't, Shaiken, it's, Tesla, Bill Ford, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Pratyush Thakur, Sayantani Ghosh, Sriraj Kalluvila, Peter Henderson, David Gregorio Our Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, Rights, United Auto Workers, UAW, General, Chrysler, GM, Ford, Bloomberg News, Detroit Three, of California, Ford's, Toyota, Anderson Economic, Detroit, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, of California Berkeley, Kentucky, Arlington , Texas, Detroit, Bengaluru

China's decision may escalate trade disputes globally and spur other countries to prioritize research into alternative sources and materials, industry executives said. "We see China's move as a potential catalyst to highlight the urgency of improving (U.S.) graphite supply," said John DeMaio, president of Graphex Group's (6128.HK) graphene division. It has graphite supply deals with Syrah Resources (SYR.AX) and is looking for other sources, DeMaio said. Synthetic graphite could account for nearly two-thirds of the EV battery anode market by 2025, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence estimates. Chief Operating Officer Hans Erik Vatne told Reuters recently that developing synthetic graphite production is costly, but that is the price to pay to reduce reliance on China.

Persons: Fabian Bimmer, John DeMaio, Graphex Group's, DeMaio, Tesla, Hans Erik Vatne, Rob Anstey, Alvin Liu, Akash Sriram, Ernest SCheyder, Nick Carey, Christina Amann, Marie Mannes, Gilles Guillaume, Ilona Wissenbach, Ben Klayman, Josie Kao Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, Syrah Resources, Magnis Energy Technologies, Mineral Intelligence, Reuters, EVs, BMO Capital Markets, BMW, Volvo, Renault, General Motors, Ford, Thomson Locations: Salzgitter, Germany, China, Warren , Michigan, West, U.S, Europe, Oslo, Norway, Bengaluru, Houston, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Paris, Frankfurt

[1/4] Tesla China-made Model 3 vehicles are seen during a delivery event at its factory in Shanghai, China January 7, 2020. To prevent demand from waning, market leader Tesla, with industry-leading profit margins, has been the first and most aggressive in slashing prices, forcing others to follow suit and squeezing margins. "If interest rates remain high ... it's that much harder for people to buy the car. They simply can't afford it," Musk said, adding he would "accelerate" expansion of the Mexico factory if interest rates come down. That is not expected in the United States until June 2024, based on current market estimates , with recent robust economic data suggesting the central bank might leave interest rates higher for longer.

Persons: Aly, Elon Musk, Musk, Tesla, Ford, Tom Narayan, Narayan, Abhirup Roy, Ben Klayman, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Wednesday, General Motors, Ford, EV, GM, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC, Air, RBC Capital Markets, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Shanghai, Mexico, Michigan, Detroit, U.S, United States, San Francisco

☆ US airline investors worry the travel boom may be coming in for a landing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Those concerns are battering airline stocks even as earnings reports point to a continuing consumer appetite for travel. While both United and Delta said travel demand is holding up, double-digit declines in airfares year-over-year suggest airline pricing power has peaked. United, which has not forecast profit for 2024, on Tuesday similarly said travel demand remains "strong and steady." New labor contracts as well as the higher fuel prices mean cost pressures aren't going away. American Airlines (AAL.O) and Alaska Air (ALK.N), who will report earnings Thursday, have cut their third-quarter profit estimates due to higher fuel costs.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Brian Mulberry, Delta, Ed Bastian, Mulberry, United, Michael Leskinen, Conor Cunningham, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Ben Klayman, Rod Nickel Organizations: United Airlines, Newark Liberty International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, NYSE, Zacks Investment Management, Delta Air Lines, United, Delta, New, American Airlines, Alaska Air, Melius, Thomson Locations: York, Newark , New Jersey, U.S, Chicago, United, Israel, Tel Aviv

☆ GM delays EV truck production by a year at Michigan plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDETROIT, Oct 17 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) said on Tuesday it will delay production of the electric pickup trucks at its Orion, Michigan, plant by a year to better align with "evolving EV demand." The plant had originally been scheduled to begin production of the electric Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra in late 2024, but the company said the plan is now to start it in late 2025. It said the change was being made "to better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand." Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit, Editing by Franklin PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Ben Klayman, Franklin Paul Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, Rights, General Motors Co, Silverado, GMC Sierra, Franklin Paul Our, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, Orion, Michigan, Detroit

The move is the latest sign that electric vehicle production and demand may not be as strong as forecast. GM had been set to begin production of the electric Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra in late 2024 at the suburban Detroit plant. Ford said in July it would slow the ramp-up of electric vehicle production and forecast a full-year loss of $4.5 billion on its EV unit. GM still plans a significant boost in EV production in 2024 including adding a new shift at a Detroit-Hamtramck factory that is currently building EV SUVs and pickup trucks. General Motors said on Tuesday it still plans to end production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV at the end of 2023.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Ford, General Motors, Ben Klayman, David Shepardson, Will Dunham, Franklin Paul, Chizu Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, Rights, General Motors Co, GM, Silverado, GMC Sierra, Reuters, United Auto Workers, Detroit -, GMC Sierra EV, General, Chevrolet, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, Orion, Detroit, Ohio, Detroit - Hamtramck, United States, Washington

[1/5] Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, speaks at their Rouge Visitor Center in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. October 16, 2023. "We can stop this now," Ford said of the strike that expanded last week to shut down the Kentucky Truck plant. The UAW's walkout at Kentucky Truck, Ford's largest and most profitable assembly operation globally, "harms tens of thousands of American workers," Ford said. On Friday, UAW President Shawn Fain accused Ford of trying to game the talks with inadequate offers and insisted Ford sharply boost compensation. On Thursday, a senior Ford executive said the automaker was "at the limit" of what it can spend on higher wages and benefits for the UAW.

Persons: Bill Ford, Jeff Kowalsky, Ford, Henry Ford, Shawn Fain, Jim Farley's, Fain, Farley, Harley Shaiken, Stellantis, Joseph White, David Shepardson, Ben Klayman, Franklin Paul, Grant McCool, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Ford Motor Company, Rouge Visitor, Ford Motor Co, REUTERS, Acquire, Rights, Monday, United Auto Workers, UAW, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Kentucky, University of California, GM, Thomson Locations: Dearborn , Michigan, U.S, Rights DEARBORN , Michigan, Kentucky, University of California Berkeley, Dearborn

[1/5] Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, speaks at their Rouge Visitor Center in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. October 16, 2023. "We can stop this now," Ford said of the strike that expanded last week to shut down the Kentucky plant. UAW President Shawn Fain replied with a statement warning Ford that the union could "close the Rouge" with a strike. The UAW's walkout at Kentucky Truck, Ford's largest and most profitable assembly operation globally, "harms tens of thousands of American workers," Ford said. On Friday, Fain accused Ford of trying to game the talks with inadequate offers and insisted Ford sharply boost compensation.

Persons: Bill Ford, Jeff Kowalsky, Ford, Shawn Fain, Fain, We’ve, Henry Ford, Jim Farley, Harley Shaiken, Shaiken, Stellantis, Joseph White, David Shepardson, Ben Klayman, Franklin Paul, David Gregorio, Grant McCool Organizations: Ford Motor Company, Rouge Visitor, Ford Motor Co, REUTERS, Acquire, Rights, Monday, United Auto Workers, UAW, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Detroit Three, Anderson Economic Group, AEG, Toyota, Honda, U.S, Kentucky, University of California, GM, Thomson Locations: Dearborn , Michigan, U.S, Rights DEARBORN , Michigan, Kentucky, American, Stellantis, East Lansing , Michigan, University of California Berkeley, Dearborn

☆ Canadian autoworkers union Unifor ratifies GM labor deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Canadian union, which represents about 4,300 workers at GM in these talks, said 80.5% of its members at facilities in Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock voted in favor of the deal. The deal with GM followed the pattern set with Ford Motor (F.N), which settled with Unifor last month. In the United States, about 9,200 members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union have affected two GM assembly plants and 18 parts distribution centers. GM also has furloughed about 2,300 U.S. workers due to the impact of the UAW strike. Unifor has used the "pattern bargaining" approach in its talks, reaching a deal first with Ford and then picking GM as the second bargaining target.

Persons: Claude Robitaille, Unifor, Shivansh Tiwary, Nathan Gomes, Mrinmay Dey, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis, Diane Craft, Sandra Maler Organizations: Chevrolet Silverado, General, REUTERS, General Motors, Canadian, GM, Woodstock, Ford Motor, United Auto Workers, UAW, Ford, Chrysler, Thomson Locations: Oshawa, Oshawa , Ontario, Canada, United States, St, Catharines, Ingersoll , Ontario, Bengaluru

[1/4] A United Auto Workers (UAW) union member wears a pin while picketing outside Ford's Kentucky truck plant after going on strike in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. October 12, 2023. It is in discussions with GM about the parameters of a deal to include battery plant workers under a master labor agreement. Analysts at Wells Fargo estimated that Ford will lose about $150 million per week in core profit from the Kentucky plant strike. Some analysts said the decision to shut down Kentucky Truck and other high-profit Detroit Three operations is a sign that the endgame could be starting in the labor dispute. The tens of thousands of Ford workers with no retirement security."

Persons: Luke Sharrett, Shawn Fain, “ We’re, ”, Fain, We're, Ford, Jim Farley's, Farley, ” Ford, Arthur Wheaton, Stellantis, Kumar Galhotra, who's, Todd Dunn, who've, Dunn, Galhotra, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Abhirup Roy, Pushkala Aripaka, Shivansh, Amna, David Gaffen, Jamie Freed, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, REUTERS, Rights, Detroit Three, Ford, Kentucky, General Motors, Chrysler, Detroit automakers, GM, Detroit, Cornell University, Reuters, Ford Bronco, EV, Thomson Locations: Ford's Kentucky, Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, F.N, Kentucky, Wells, Milan, Louisville, Ford's Michigan, Washington, Detroit, San Francisco, Bengaluru

A newly remodeled Ford F250 Super Duty truck is displayed at the new Louisville Ford truck plant in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. September 30, 2016. UAW President Shawn Fain on Wednesday ordered a strike at Ford's Kentucky Truck factory after Ford negotiators did not present a richer contract proposal. About 4,600 Ford workers could be idled because their jobs depend on production of Super Duty pickups and large Lincoln and Ford SUVs at Kentucky Truck, said Ford manufacturing vice president Bryce Currie. Already, 13,000 workers at Ford suppliers have been furloughed because of earlier UAW walkouts at two Ford assembly plants, Ford supply chain chief Liz Door said. Fain and other UAW officials called a meeting with Ford at on Wednesday evening and demanded a new offer, which Ford did not have, a Ford official said.

Persons: Bryan Woolston, Kumar Galhotra, Ford, Galhotra, Shawn Fain, Here’s, Fain, Stellantis, Bryce Currie, Liz Door, Chris McNally, Karine Jean, Pierre, Sam Fiorani, Glen Hauenstein, Wednesday's Ford, walkouts, Joe White, Abhirup Roy, David Shepardson, Priyamvada, Peter Henderson, Ben Klayman, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Ford, Super, Louisville Ford, REUTERS, Rights DETROIT, United Auto Workers, UAW, Ford's Kentucky, Chrysler, Detroit, Kentucky, General Motors, Lincoln, White, AutoForecast Solutions, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Delta Air Lines, Delta, Detroit Three, GM, Stellantis, Thomson Locations: Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, WASHINGTON, Stellantis, Lincoln, Kentucky, Arlington , Texas, Flint , Michigan, Sterling Heights, Warren , Michigan, Detroit, Wells, Its Kentucky, San Francisco, Washington, Bengaluru

CAAT will assure that workers get defined benefits in retirement, CAAT and Unifor said. Separately, the UAW and companies have not agreed on the complex issues raised by new electric-vehicle battery plants owned by joint ventures. Under U.S. labor law, the UAW would have to organize the battery joint ventures, which are separate entities from the automakers. So far, Ford and Stellantis have not matched GM's proposal on battery plants. Three of four battery plants Ford plans will be operated as joint ventures with South Korean battery maker SK On.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Ford, Stellantis, Olivia Mitchell, Mitchell, ”, Dana Muir, CAAT, Unifor, Shawn Fain, Joe White, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, Rights, United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, Ford Motor, Chrysler, UAW, Detroit's Big, GM, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Companies, University of Michigan, CANADA, Canada, Ford, Unifor, Canadian, CAAT, U.S, SK, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, Ontario, Arlington , Texas, Fain's, Kokomo , Indiana, United States, Korean, Detroit

"Our strike is working, but we’re not there yet," UAW President Shawn Fain said in a livestreamed update on negotiations with the three automakers. Threatening to strike against GM's Arlington, Texas, plant that makes cash-cow SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade spurred GM to agree that EV battery factories would become union plants with UAW contracts, Fain said. GM is building three Ultium joint-venture battery plants with South Korea's LG Energy Solution (373220.KS). GM is building a fourth U.S. battery plant with Samsung SDI (006400.KS) in Indiana. Fain also said on Friday that the UAW could still strike against highly profitable pickup truck plants if progress stalls.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, General Motors, we’re, Shawn Fain, GM's, Fain, Sam Fiorani, Ultium, Harley Shaiken, Jim Farley, Ford, Stellantis, Mark Stewart, Tesla, Elon, we've, walkouts, Joe White, David Shepardson, Abhirup Roy, Dan Burns, Ben Klayman, Abhijith, David Gaffen, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United Auto Workers, General Motors Lansing Delta, Michigan U.S, REUTERS, Detroit Three, UAW GM, UAW, GM, Ford, Detroit, General, Ford Motor, Chrysler, EV, AutoForecast Solutions, Korea's LG Energy, Democratic U.S, Samsung SDI, University of California, LG, Samsung, American, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: Delta Township, Michigan, DETROIT, GM's Arlington , Texas, U.S, Ohio, Indiana, Berkeley, Milan, Detroit, Washington

☆ GM makes counteroffer to UAW in strike talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. Picture taken March 16, 2021. GM said the offer was its sixth since talks between the sides began. A source familiar with the talks said there had been movement in a few key areas. A targeted strike against the Detroit Three automakers, including Ford(F.N) and Stellantis(STLAM.MI), began on Sept. 15.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Ben Klayman, Chizu Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, Rights, United Auto Workers, UAW, U.S ., GM, ”, Detroit Three, Ford, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S

REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDETROIT, Oct 5 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) said on Thursday it had made a counteroffer to the United Auto Workers (UAW) in a bid to end a strike by the union against the U.S. automaker. Separately, UAW President Shawn Fain plans an update on the status of the talks with the Detroit Three automakers at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) on Friday in the three-week-old strike. The first-ever targeted strike against the Detroit Three automakers, including Ford (F.N) and Stellantis (STLAM.MI), began on Sept. 15. The UAW said on Monday it presented a new contract offer to GM. In addition to Ford, talks with Chrysler parent Stellantis and have been active in recent days, sources said.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, Shawn Fain, Fain, Ford, Stellantis, Mack Trucks, David Shepardson, Ben Klayman, Joseph White, Chizu Nomiyama, Matthew Lewis Organizations: General Motors, REUTERS, Rights, United Auto Workers, UAW, U.S . automaker, Detroit Three, Ford, GM, Reuters, Chrysler, Detroit automakers, Wednesday, Volvo Group, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, Detroit

UAW President Shawn Fain has transformed the rituals of contract talks with General Motors(GM.N), Ford(F.N) and Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI) into a high-stakes, made-for-media game. GM and Ford said Monday they were indefinitely laying off another 500 workers at four Midwestern plants, citing the impact of the walkouts. Analysts looking ahead to third-quarter financial results this month are starting to reckon the costs of what the UAW calls "Stand up strikes." Ford plans four EV battery plants in the U.S. - three under joint ventures with South Korean battery maker SK On(096770.KS). GM's joint venture battery plants also have separate status and GM has declined to include them in negotiations.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Mack Trucks, Ford, JP Morgan, Fain, Harley Shaiken, Mary Barra, Jim Farley, Farley, CATL, GM's, . Company bargainers, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, David Shepardson, David Gregorio Our Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, UAW, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Volvo Group, GM, Chevrolet, University of California Berkley, automaker's, automaker's Michigan Assembly, SK, . Company, ”, Thomson Locations: Escalade, automaker's Michigan, U.S, Korean, Marshall , Michigan

[1/2] A worker clears debris so delivery vehicles can exit a FedEx Ground distribution center in this aerial photograph taken over Carson, California, U.S., September 16, 2022. "They have to fight for every package right now, it's great for shippers," said LJM Consultants partner Kenneth Moyer, a former UPS pricing negotiator who now works with delivery customers. The world's biggest parcel delivery firm added it is using price negotiations to encourage attractive high-margin or high-volume customers, while discouraging high-cost deliveries. Third quarter ground delivery rates are forecast to fall 0.55% per package versus a the year earlier period, according to the TD Cowen/AFS Ground Pacrel Freight Index. But experts are skeptical, particularly as UPS offers to cover early termination fees for customers that switched to FedEx.

Persons: Bing Guan, That's, Kenneth Moyer, Deyman Doolittle, Wall, Moyer, Mark Taylor, Taylor, Satish Jindel, ShipMatrix, Micheal McDonagh, Yokeley, Lisa Baertlein, Ben Klayman, Aurora Ellis Organizations: FedEx, REUTERS, United Parcel Service, UPS, U.S . Postal Service, LJM, Cowen, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Teamster, Department, USPS, Amazon, AFS Logistics, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Teamsters, Thomson Locations: Carson , California, U.S, Macy's, Los Angeles

☆ Exclusive: Bezos' Blue Origin expects split on space station partnership -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A Blue Origin spokesperson said Sierra will remain a partner on Orbital Reef but declined to say in what capacity. Last week, Bezos told Blue Origin employees that longtime Amazon executive Dave Limp would replace Blue Origin's current CEO by year's end. In 2021, Blue Origin announced its partnership to build what it envisions as a "business park in space" with Sierra Space, a spinoff from defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corp. Blue Origin secured $3.4 billion from NASA this year for that lander as part of the agency's Artemis program. Blue Origin said at the time it planned to privately invest "well north" of that amount.

Persons: Shepard, Jeff Bezos's, Ivan Pierre Aguirre, Jeff Bezos, Sierra, Brent Sherwood, Sherwood, Bezos, Dave Limp, Glenn, Joey Roulette, Ben Klayman, David Gregorio, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Sierra Space, NASA, Space, CNBC, Blue Origin, Amazon, year's, Sierra Nevada Corp, Origin, Industry, Sierra, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Van Horn , Texas, U.S

[1/2]Striking United Auto Workers (UAW) union workers picket outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, U.S., September 23, 2023. Workers went on strike on Sept. 15 at one plant each from GM, Ford and Stellantis. The union escalated on Sept. 22, when workers walked off the job at GM and Stellantis distribution facilities in 20 states nationwide. UAW workers also are threatening to walk off the job at heavy truck maker Mack Trucks on Sunday, and at three Detroit casinos. A UAW strike has shut down a plant that builds axles for Mercedes-Benz's Alabama vehicle factory.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Stellantis, Mary Barra, Jim Farley, Farley, Joe Biden, Barra, Sam Fiorani, Ford, Nalio Chery, Arthur Wheaton, Mack Trucks, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Abhirup Roy, Bianca Flowers, Shivansh, Abhijith G, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski, David Gregorio, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: UAW, Lansing , Michigan Ford, GM, Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit, Chrysler, Mack Trucks, AutoForecast Solutions, Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, REUTERS, Workers, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick, Marshall, Cornell University, Mercedes, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chicago, Lansing , Michigan, DETROIT, Barra, Detroit, Wayne , Michigan, U.S, Dieu, Lansing, Michigan, Marshall , Michigan, Alabama

“I don’t know why Jim Farley is lying about the state of negotiations," Fain said in a statement responding to the Ford CEO. The UAW wants those workers represented by the union and paid the highest-tier wages. Workers went on strike on Sept. 15 at one plant each from GM, Ford and Stellantis. UAW workers are threatening to walk off the job at heavy truck maker Mack Trucks on Sunday, and at three Detroit casinos. A UAW strike has shut down a plant that builds axles for Mercedes-Benz's Alabama vehicle factory.

Persons: Jim Farley, Shawn Fain, Stellantis, Fain, Sam Fiorani, Joe Biden, Ford, Farley, Arthur Wheaton, Mack Trucks, Silverados, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Abhirup Roy, Bianca Flowers, Shivansh, Abhijith G, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski, David Gregorio, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: UAW, Lansing , Michigan Ford, Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit, Chrysler, Mack Trucks, AutoForecast Solutions, Workers, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick, Marshall, General Motors, GM, Cornell University, Mercedes, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chicago, Lansing , Michigan, DETROIT, U.S, Detroit, Lansing, Michigan, Marshall , Michigan, Alabama

☆ Explainer: UAW expands strike against GM, Ford in Week 3, spares Stellantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Sept 29 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Friday expanded its coordinated U.S. strike, this time targeting a plant at General Motors (GM.N) and Ford Motor (F.N) but refraining from an additional walkout from Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI). The UAW, which represents 46,000 GM workers, 57,000 Ford employees and 43,000 Stellantis workers, kicked off negotiations with the companies in July. Contract talks between the UAW and the Detroit automakers in past years had gone on until the strike deadline and beyond. Talks between Ford and UAW negotiators stalled during the week after the two appeared to be close to an agreement, sources familiar with the development said. In fiscal 2019, GM's fourth-quarter profit took a $3.6 billion hit from a 40-day UAW strike.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Stellantis, GM's, Morgan Stanley, Adam Jonas, Tesla, Nathan Gomes, Abhijith G, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, David Shepardson, Sriraj Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Detroit Three, WHO, Detroit, Reuters, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet, Deutsche Bank, EV, Thomson Locations: U.S, Michigan , Ohio, Missouri, Chevrolet Colorado

"Despite our willingness to bargain Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress," Fain said in a video address Friday morning. It began on Sept. 15, when workers struck at one plant each from GM, Ford and Stellantis. The UAW did not strike at Ford distribution facilities last week, citing progress in talks with that company. Analysts estimate GM, Ford and Stellantis earn as much as $15,000 per vehicle on each of their respective large pickup truck models. The Ford assembly plant in Chicago builds the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs, while the GM plant in Lansing makes the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave SUVs.

Persons: Shawn Fain, GM's, Fain, Stellantis, Friday Fain, Arthur Wheaton, Silverados, Sam Fiorani, Joe Biden, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Abhirup Roy, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Detroit Three, GM, UAW, Detroit, Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, U.S, Workers, Stellantis, Strikers, AutoForecast Solutions, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chicago, GM's Lansing , Michigan, Stellantis, Marshall , Michigan, Milan, Detroit, Lansing

Biden is running for re-election in 2024 and will likely face Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. "The only reason Biden is going to Michigan on Tuesday is because President Trump announced he is going on Wednesday," the Trump campaign said in a statement late on Friday. Trump has called for rank-and-file union workers to ignore their leaders. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain blasted Trump earlier in the week, saying the union was "fighting the billionaire class and an economy that enriches people like Donald Trump at the expense of workers." Workers on the picket lines had mixed feelings over whether Biden should visit.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Donald Trump, I’ll, Trump, Jeremi Suri, Jimmy Carter, Biden's, CLASS, Shawn Fain, Theodore Roosevelt, Suri, Roosevelt, Henry Cabot, “, Laura Zielinski, ” Thomas Morris, Morris, Heather Timmons, Jeff Mason, Ben Klayman, David Gaffen, Kanishka Singh, Jarrett Renshaw, Matthew Lewis, Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Motors, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, United Auto Workers, Detroit, UAW, Republican, Friday, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford Motor, University of Texas, Washington, CLASS Trump, White House, Department of Labor, Workers, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, TOLEDO , Ohio, Michigan, United States, Austin, Detroit, Toledo , Ohio, Toledo, Philadelphia, Washington, New York

UAW President Shawn Fain, in a Facebook live event, said that by targeting distribution centers the strike becomes a nationwide event. Stellantis has said it wants to be able to consolidate and close some of its parts distribution centers. Nearly 13,000 UAW workers walked out at plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio on Sept 15. "GM and Stellantis are looking at stockholder value and Ford is looking a lot more long-term that they have to make friends with labor." Fain said on Friday that the union had negotiated the elimination of lower wage tiers in some components facilities at Ford and GM.

Persons: Fain, Shawn Fain, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Thomas Morris, Stellantis, Phaedra Grant, Michael Swensen, Ford, Daniel Ives, Sam Fiorani, Ford's, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Jarrett Renshaw, Ben Klayman, Peter Henderson, Abhirup Roy, Jeff Mason, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: GM, Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit, General Motors, Chrysler, UAW, REUTERS, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet, AutoForecast Solutions, Reuters, Thomson Locations: DETROIT, United, Michigan, California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Florida, Philadelphia, Langhorne , Pennsylvania, Kokomo , Indiana, Kokomo, Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, Missouri , Michigan, Ohio, Chevrolet Colorado, Washington, Detroit, San Francisco

☆ Biden visit to UAW strike would be historic move by US president
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The UAW on Friday invited Biden to visit workers on its picket lines, and said that it would expand its Detroit strike to parts distribution centers across the United States at General Motors (GM.N) and Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI). "It’s very rare for a president to visit strikers," said Jeremi Suri, a historian and presidential scholar at the University of Texas at Austin. The White House said the president appreciates the UAW invitation, saying Biden will continue to fight for workers, but but did not immediately commit to visiting the strikers. Biden said the automakers should "go further to ensure record corporate profits mean record contracts for the UAW," echoing sentiments by union leaders. Workers on the picket lines had mixed feelings over whether Biden should visit.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Jeremi Suri, Jimmy Carter, Biden's, Donald Trump, Trump, Shawn Fain, Theodore Roosevelt, Suri, Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, “, Laura Zielinski, Heather Timmons, Ben Klayman, David Gaffen, Matthew Lewis, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Motors, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, United Auto Workers, UAW, Friday, Detroit, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford Motor, University of Texas, Washington, Trump, White House, Massachusetts, Department of Labor, Workers, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, TOLEDO , Ohio, United States, Austin, Detroit, Toledo , Ohio, Toledo, Washington, New York

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