The recent announcement of a nationwide strike by Auto Workers (UAW) is an important test for President Joe Biden and other political leaders on taking a side in favor of workers, according to UAW President Rory Gamble.
The nationwide strike, which will affect about 46,000 General Motors workers, is a show of strength by the union members following long, drawn out negotiations with the Detroit-based car giant on a new labor deal.
Pointing out that President Biden had spoken out on behalf of worker rights during his campaign, Gamble said the president now had a chance to show those were more than just words.
“The Biden Administration needs to decide whether they’re going to be our advocates and help us get the kind of fair contracts we deserve,” he said.
According to the UAW president, the strike is an integral part of negotiations as it serves to show the company that the workers are serious about their demands. He pointed out that in the 11-day negotiations that led to the deal between UAW and GM in 2019, a 30-minute nationwide strike was used to push the company to the bargaining table.
This time, however, Gamble said the union had been pushed to this point because of GM’s refusal to move on several issues important to the workforce. Chief among these is closing the income gap between veteran union workers and recent hires.
The timing of the strike has also been a calculated move on the part of the union. While the summer months are usually slow with regard to auto sales, Gamble said the strike was called right as the industry was beginning to boom again. With the Biden administration pushing for a shift towards electric vehicles, Gamble sees the strike as a way to get recognition for the workers who will be needed to make the switch successful.
“We’re going to show President Biden— and any other politician who talks about worker rights — that it’s time to pick a side,” he said. “Are they with GM, or are they with us?”
