UAW reaches tentative deal with Chrysler parent Stellantis to end 6-week strike

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."An unusual approach
The UAW has separate contracts with the three Detroit automakers, but historically the contracts tend to be very similar. In fact, the union’s general practice was to negotiate with just one company, and then the other two companies would more or less match that contract.

This year’s talks were different. The union negotiated with, and went on strike against, all three companies simultaneously.

The strike strategy was also novel. The union initially struck just one plant per company, and then expanded the strike over time.

The expansions were meant to keep UAW’s strategy unpredictable, with the union announcing new strike locations based on how talks were going at the table.

And unlike previous UAW leaders, Fain took a much more transparent and confrontational approach, taking to Facebook Live and YouTube to provide detailed updates on proposals while characterizing the strike as a war between the rich and the working class. At one point he even filmed himself throwing the automakers’ proposals into a black trash bin, which quickly became a symbol of the talks.

The automakers were frustrated by the union’s tactics, and by Fain, calling the announcements of new strikes publicity stunts, while describing the rhetoric as needlessly inflammatory.

“It’s not about theatrics,” Fain responded in one of his Facebook Live events last month. “It’s about power. The power we have as working-class people.”