General Motors

UAW picket

US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump addressed autoworkers in Michigan this week, as their "stand up" strike at the "Big Three" car manufacturers escalated, reports Malik Miah.

Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) 722 on the 5th day of their strike and picket outside the General Motors (GM) Parts Distribution Center in Hudson, Wisconsin on September 20.

49,000 UAW members are taking their first national strike in decades, hoping to win a pattern-setting contract, which will set the standard for negotiations with other car makers.

While unionised Teamster truck drivers have refused to cross the picket line, strikers at parts distribution centres face off with non-union transport companies.

The spreading scandal of Volkswagen's falsifying of emission tests to evade regulations has begun to expose the cozy connections between the German government and the company. A recent article in the New York Times said: “There exists a revolving-door climate in which leaders glide between tops posts in government and auto firms.” But a recent settlement between the US government and General Motors reveals similar corruption.