Sen. John Fetterman: I walked the UAW picket line. Everyone should see what I saw.
MSNBCSep 18, 2023
The Facts
On Friday, the United Auto Workers (UAW) called off plans to expand their strikes after General Motors agreed to bring its electric vehicle manufacturing under the union's national contract — a concession that could prompt Ford and Stellantis to take similar steps.
While increased wages and pension benefits have been core demands in negotiations between the UAW and the three Detroit-based carmakers, an additional issue had remained over the unionization of future electric vehicle and battery plants being built in joint ventures with Asian companies.
The Spin
Left narrative
The mere threat of shutting down the world's most profitable car manufacturing plant has prompted General Motors — which previously claimed that the strike was unambiguously wrong — to finally agree to UAW's terms. The walkout reinforces working-class Americans' power and inspires non-union auto workers across the country.
Right narrative
The well-paid UAW leadership doesn't care about auto workers' interests. The union aims to create operational chaos to inflict the worst punishment possible on the Big Three, even if that means rejecting a record contract offer and requiring the rank and file to experience a considerable drop in pay or layoffs amid a nationwide inflation crisis.
