The United Auto Workers will not expand strikes against GM, Ford or Stellantis this week amid progress in the talks, UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday.
They're trying a new strike strategy that plays the companies against one another. By rewarding companies when they play ball they can allow them to get a potential leg up on their compeition who maybe decided against a particular thing.
It allows the union to better pressure the companies and allows the union strike funds to go further. It's a novel approach, and is working so far. Hopefully it will bear fruit.
I understand what the goal is and the theory behind it. The thing is the strike fund has enough funds for an all out strike that is 10 months long. That would be billions lost for the big three if they wanted to try to outlast the union, not to mention fund raising the union could do to extend it if needed.
Easing the strike up this week because one came to the table isn't great. With only 17% striking, that leaves 83% working without a contract, that's a big problem especially if this approach is going to be a drawn out process.
Class struggle entails shifting balances of power.
Many groups are interacting within each side.
Workers currently have little power, but the UAW action has so far seemed as one of the most momentous opportunities in recent memory.
Building power depends on seeking gains that may be expected to be both reached and to be held. Once a stronger position is reached, then the even stronger position becomes closer at hand.
You are suggesting throwing everything at a single opportunity within a hostile and untested climate.
It is wise to seek modest gains one at a time, trying to encourage everyone that better days are coming soon.
At the moment, even a substantial symbolic victory in one area would be quite significant in terms of building momentum to expand movements across the working class. When one group of workers rises, even by only a modest increment, we all gain power in the shared struggle, power we can use to climb higher.
I am so confused by this comment. Your talking like we have nothing in history to compare this to when the writers strike won after a 3 month strike just last week.
Union members are being laid off, leading to confusion and hurting moral. The war of attrition is more than just the strike fund, and it is sad one of the largest and well funded unions is making a show of worrying over their coffers when they have more than enough to win three contract fights.