UAW could expand auto strike on Friday

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union threatened today to expand its strike later this week.

UAW president Shawn Fain said the strike — which currently encompasses three plants across Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis — could grow to other plants on Friday if contract negotiations do not make "serious" progress.

An expanded strike would increase the impact on metals and petrochemicals consumption from the three automakers.

The three companies sold an combined average of 552,800/month of cars in the second quarter.

Based on these sales, if all facilities were to go on strike US consumption of flat steel could shrink by as much as 409,000 short tons (st)/month with an additional 138,200 st/month of other steel consumption and 134,300 st/month of aluminum consumption, according to an Argus analysis of vehicle composition data. Copper consumption would be curtailed another 13,800st/month.

The strike began on 15 September targeting most of Ford's Wayne, Michigan, plant; GM's Wentzville, Missouri, plant; and Stellantis' Toledo, Ohio, facility. Ford laid off another 600 workers at its Michigan plant because of the strike, and GM said its Fairfax, Kansas, plant may have to idle because of a lack of parts provided from Wentzville.

Stellantis said on Monday it had resumed negotiations with the UAW. Ford and GM have not given updates on the status of their negotiations since 14 September and 15 September, respectively.

In Canada, the auto union Unifor and Ford extended the deadline for an agreement by 24 hours on the contract that was set to expire Monday night.

By Rye Druzin