Plan 2028: Bringing Labor and Social Movements Together

by Stephanie Luce March 14, 2025

UAW called for unions to synchronize contract expirations on May 1, 2028. How can we harness this compression point to coordinate our movements?

The Trump Administration has come in with brute force, attacking working people and institutions from all angles. Their “flood the zone” strategy has left many feeling confused and powerless. But MAGA forces are not unstoppable. Strong coalitions among labor and social movement organizations offer one of the best hopes for blocking the rise of white Christian nationalist forces, and for countering authoritarianism with progressive power.

In Fall 2023, United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain called for unions around America to align their contracts with a May 1, 2028 expiration date, in order to align with the UAW’s next round of bargaining with the Big Three: Ford, General Motors (GM), and Chrysler (now Stellantis). This was, in part, a call for class solidarity: to bring workers together across unions, labor and social movements, and geography. It was also an acknowledgment that some of the biggest demands that UAW members have–strong pensions and healthcare–cannot be won alone. Workers will need to build broad alliances that can leverage greater pressure on employers and the state.

https://convergencemag.com/articles/plan-2028-bringing-labor-and-social-movements-together/