UAW strike update: These plants joined the picket line Friday
(FOX 2) - After General Motors and Stellantis failed to make sufficient progress with the United Auto Workers, the union called on all the automakers' parts distribution facilities to strike.
They walked at noon Friday.
This includes 38 facilities across 20 states:
"We will shut down parts distribution until those two companies come to their senses and come to the table with a serious offer," UAW President Shawn Fain said.
Fain said Stellantis and GM are going to need some "serious pushing," while significant progress has been made with Ford in the past week.
"To be clear, we are not done at Ford," he said.
Employees at Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio, and the GM Wentzville Assembly Plant in Missouri have been striking since Aug. 15. They will continue to strike.
The union is participating in a stand-up strike, meaning that only some members are striking, but more will be added as negotiations continue.
"We're ready to stand up for corporate greed and stand up for families," Fain said.
The strike started after automakers and the union failed to reach a contract deal.
The union initially was asking for a 46% pay raise, a 32-hour work week with 40 hours of pay, the tier system removed, and restoration of traditional pensions for new hires, among other demands. However, the union said it is now willing to accept a pay raise percentage in the mid-30s.
Counteroffers have been passed back and forth between the Big Three and UAW. All three automakers have offered raises that are around 20%.
Read more strike coverage here.