Strikes at 2 more U.S. auto factories to start Friday as UAW ratchets up pressure

The United Auto Workers union is expanding its strike against U.S. automakers to two new plants, as 7,000 workers at a Ford plant in Chicago and a General Motors assembly factory near Lansing, Mich.,will walk off the job at midday on Friday.

Union president Shawn Fain told workers on a video appearance Friday that negotiations haven't broken down but Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress.

"Despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM have refused tomake meaningfulprogress," Fain said. "That's why at noon eastern we will expand our strike to these two companies."

"Not a single wheel will turn without us," Fain said, adding that the 7,000 soon-to-be picketers are the "next wave of reinforcements."

Stellantis, the third major automaker targeted by the union, and the maker of brands like Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, was spared further action, as Fain said the company's management has made significant concessions on things like a cost-of-living allowance and a freeze on outsourcing.

The Ford plant in Chicago makes the Explorer and Police Interceptor, as well as the Lincoln Aviator SUV.

The GM plant in Michigan's Delta Township near Lansing manufactures large crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Traverse.

The two new plants join 41 other factories and distribution centres already seeing job action.

So far, the impact on Canada's auto industry has been muted, as none of the idled factories aremajor usersof Canadian-made components.

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Edward Moya, a strategist with foreign exchange firm Oanda, says that despite the expanded job action, the strike seems to be nearing an "endgame" as the two sides are clearly making slow but steady progress.

"Yesterday, the UAW said they are targeting a 30 per centpay raise, which is down from the 46 per centthey were asking for in early September," he said. "Automakers have raised their offer to 20 per centbut were not offering much on retirement benefits.The longer this drags, the more both sides lose, so a deal should be reached in the next week or two."