UAW strike: Obama encourages automakers to ‘do right’ by staff who ‘sacrificed pay’

Former President Barack Obama chimed in Saturday to express his support for United Auto Workers union members.

Obama said it’s time for Ford Motor Company, Stellantis, and General Motors to “do right by” their workers in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. While he was president, UAW workers went on strike against GM, and Obama backed them then.

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“Fourteen years ago, when the big three automakers were struggling to stay afloat, my administration and the American people stepped in to support them. So did the auto workers in the UAW who sacrificed pay and benefits to help get the companies back on their feet,” Obama wrote, referencing his $800 billion stimulus package that helped bail out the companies.

“Now that our carmakers are enjoying robust profits, it’s time to do right by those same workers so the industry can emerge more united and competitive than ever,” Obama went on.

UAW members are seeking a 36% pay bump over the next four years. Employees at the three automakers currently earn between $18 to $32 an hour, meaning that such a dramatic increase would see wages pushed as high as $43.52 per hour. Meanwhile, the Big Three have countered with wage increases ranging from 17.5-20% over the life of a contract.

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Additionally, the UAW is requesting a four-day work week so that its members work 32 hours a week at 40-hour pay. The union has historically asked for less time since the 1930s.

The last time the UAW went on strike was in 2019, and in those six weeks, the largest auto union in the nation cost $3.6 billion for GM. This time, the union is striking against all of the Big Three Detroit automakers.