In a historic move, thousands of employees represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union went on strike at three major US assembly plants after failing to reach a new labor agreement with the Big Three automakers: Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. The strike, which is the first time in the union's 88-year history that all three companies have been struck simultaneously, affects around 13,000 workers from the Ford assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan, a General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri, and a Stellantis Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio. The UAW is pressing for better wages and benefit offers for workers.

The strike began after the contracts for 146,000 auto workers expired at midnight on Thursday. While employees at other plants will continue working for now, UAW President Shawn Fain warned that more walkouts could be scheduled if the automakers do not move on bargaining. Workers at the Ford assembly plant in Wayne, which primarily produces Bronco SUVs and Ranger pickup trucks, gathered at the gates as Fain joined them to show his support. Fain emphasized that the strike will continue until worker wages are lifted and job security is improved.

The strike also led to temporary layoffs at the Wayne facility. Ford Motor announced that it had laid off 600 non-striking workers at the assembly plant due to the work stoppage in the final assembly and paint departments. These employees are responsible for building components that require e-coating for protection, which is completed in the paint department that is on strike.

The Wayne plant, located in a suburb west of Detroit, is divided into two separate worlds-an assembly line and a body shop. Pete Gruich, a longtime employee at the plant, described the assembly side as a place with a hectic pace and no downtime, while the body shop side is slower-paced. Gruich also noted the division among employees between those who make higher-tier wages and those who earn less. He mentioned that tensions were high leading up to the strike, and employees eagerly awaited the outcome of labor negotiations.

The UAW has made several demands, including a 36% pay increase over four years, pension benefits for all employees, limited use of temporary workers, a four-day workweek with more paid time off, and increased job protections. The automakers have countered with offers of 18% to 20% pay raises and have deemed the UAW's demands unreasonable. They argue that meeting all the demands would significantly increase labor costs and make it difficult to compete in the automotive market.

The strike is expected to have significant economic impacts, potentially causing a surge in car prices and resulting in billions of dollars in economic losses for the automakers. One forecast suggests that the strike could reduce the nation's GDP by up to 0.3%. However, the UAW remains determined to fight for better wages and job security, while the automakers maintain their position that they have already made generous offers and are open to further negotiation. The strike is ongoing, and the future of labor negotiations remains uncertain.