News & Commentary September 26, 2023 Kaiser Permanente workers authorize a potential strike

https://onlabor.org/september-26-2023/

By John Fry

John Fry is a student at Harvard Law School.

In today’s news and commentary, Ford hits pause on a new EV plant; Canadian auto workers turn to GM; UAW victories could benefit non-union workers; and Kaiser Permanente workers authorize a potential strike.

Ford has paused the construction of a Michigan factory that will make batteries for electric vehicles, claiming concerns about its “ability to competitively operate the plant.” United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain decried the move as a “barely-veiled threat” amid UAW’s strike at Ford and other automakers. Among other demands, striking workers are seeking guarantees that the workers who build the next generation of electric vehicles will enjoy the same pay and benefits as current UAW members. Backlash to a Chinese company’s ties to the new plant may also be a factor in Ford’s decision.

Canadian auto workers have shifted their focus to General Motors after striking a deal with Ford. This pattern-bargaining approach, in which the union agrees to a contract with one employer and then seeks similar contracts with other employers, may be a sign of things to come in UAW’s strike in the United States. As Swap reported on Sunday, UAW has stopped expanding its strike at Ford plants and has described recent negotiations with Ford as productive.

FULL story at link above.