United Auto Workers Demands Four-Day Workweek and 46% Wage Increase

The United Auto Workers union, representing around 150,000 workers at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, has demanded a four-day workweek at full pay, as well as a 46% wage increase throughout a new four-year contract. The UAW has threatened to strike on September 14th if their demands are unmet. Even UAW President Shawn Fain has called their demands "audacious." The automakers have largely rejected the UAW's demands. Ford has offered workers a 9% wage increase over the contract term, plus a one-time payout, bringing the total raise to 15%. The UAW seeks to increase top hourly wages to around $47 per hour, citing big pay rises for automaker CEOs and inflation cutting into workers' purchasing power.