UAW members rally in Warren as contract expiration nears
WARREN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Hundreds of UAW members gathered for a rally in Warren on Sunday afternoon.
The rally, coined "Solidarity Sunday," included multiple members, politicians and UAW President Shawn Fain. The rally took place with contract negotiations nearing its Sept. 14 deadline.
"I feel so empowered and more pumped that I can see a better future for myself and my boys," says Local 160 member Jessica Merz, who attended Sunday's rally. "Being with General Motors for 24 years, I've seen a cycle where everyone is lost. Their loyalty and everything for the union. I think, with this new group, I can feel everyone coming back together and being more powerful and empowered."
The rally marked 25 days before the expiration of the union's contract with the Big Three.
In his most recent Facebook Live on August 15, Fain encouraged UAW members to vote for strike authorization against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
Fain describes the current status of negotiations as "normal," saying he gave the Big Three the union members' demands early in an attempt to be upfront on negotiations.
"You know, there's no excuse. At the end of this, if we get to the 14th and they haven't delivered, then we've got to do what we got to do," said Fain. "We're trying to be proactive in this and not wait until the last minute. There's a lot of things we've got to resolve, and as I've told them from day one, if your plan is to wait until a week before the deadline, there's going to be problems."
Strike votes by union members will be collected by the end of the day on Thursday, Aug. 24.