(Reuters) – Union members are planning to vote on a strike at Detroit Three automakers next week, the United Auto Workers (UAW) said on Tuesday, as it pushes the companies to reach new contract terms by Sept. 14 deadline.
The UAW’s warning comes as the two sides have made little headway with their negotiations. U.S. President Joe Biden has already called on the automakers and union members to reach a new agreement before the contracts expire next month.
“Whether or not there’s a strike next month is entirely up to the Big Three automakers,” UAW president Shawn Fain said in a statement.
Fain will address the pace of negotiations and announce preparations for strike authorization votes to be held next week by 150,000 UAW members at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis on Facebook Live later in the day, the union said.
The announcement comes after workers at aerospace supplier Spirit AeroSystems rejected a contract that their leaders negotiated with their employer, joining freight railroad employees, airline pilots and others who are growing more fed up with stagnant pay, high healthcare costs, scanty sick time and uncertain scheduling.
(Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)
