I didn't know that the current president of the United Auto Workers union, which is currently striking at some plants, and the CEOs of the three automotive companies were playing poker.
However, the analogy does fit well, and I don't blame Shawn Fain for using a reference to cards in this regard. Yet one of the oldest tricks and references in poker is bluffing; I'm beginning to feel that the UAW president is feeling pressure and maybe trying to bluff himself out of an untenable situation.
As I was browsing some news today I came across an update about where the Big 3 and the UAW were currently going into week 5 of their strike right here.
The Detroit Three automakers escaped additional strikes Friday but got little additional comfort from the leader of the United Auto Workers, who signaled he's ready to take down more of their most profitable plants if the companies don't sweeten their contract offers.
In a Facebook Live update, UAW President Shawn Fain cited "serious progress" in negotiations late this week with General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV, sharply criticized Ford Motor Co. and said "there is more to be won" from all three companies, even after they've offered what he agreed are "record contracts."
Fain's latest bargaining update to members took place on Day 36 of the union's unprecedented simultaneous strike by 34,000 workers at all three Detroit auto companies."The bottom line is, we’ve got cards left to play, and they’ve got money left to spend," Fain said. "That’s the hardest part of a strike: Right before a deal is when there is the most aggressive push for that last mile. They want to wait us out. They want division. They want fear. They want uncertainty. And what we have is our solidarity.”
They did have unified solidarity two or three weeks ago and publicly, you're still going to see that played out.
However, the grumbling is beginning amongst those who are on strike, and worry has set in with those who are still working, yet wondering if a Wednesday or Friday announcement is going to order them to go on strike.
You hear around the rumor mill here in Detroit, that they picked September to go on strike and figured the plan to strike at all three of the automotive giants would buckle the industry and bring them to heel within two weeks.
Just in time for new year-end, BIGGER profit-sharing checks.
That hasn't happened, and now we're into week five of a strike that they truly had hoped and planned would be long over by now. The stress is starting to ramp up, and you can tell it in some of the language and also the actions of the leadership of the UAW.
How do I know?
Fain went on and verbally smacked a huge proponent of about everything the UAW and the Democrats who control them as I wrote about here.
He also rebuffed Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr., who publicly appealed Monday for an end to the strike and said the UAW and the automaker should unite against foreign competitors. “I want to be crystal clear on one thing," Fain said. "The days of the UAW and Ford being a team to fight other companies are over."
Ouch.
Here is the speech that Ford gave last week that earned that touchy response from Fain.
Ford Jr. is all for electric vehicles. even if it will sink his company and his fortune. because he has not met a lefty money transfer sob story he didn't love.
When I tell you that under the urging of Bill Ford Jr., the UAW has literally had no issues with them during his involvement is an understatement. Ford Motor has always been more than willing to be the guinea pig for every whacked-out leftist idea the union has and in turn, the UAW usually leaves them alone.
This is why Fain's reaction to this mild plea from an ally to come together has some stumped in Detroit. Most in the know have no idea why Bill Ford Jr.'s mild manner plea was met with such an F.U. given the history of the two organizations over the last 20 years.
Possibly some who know Ford had mentioned in private meetings that it might be time to lay off on some of the harder demands and to do what they've done so many times before -- negotiate more closely with Ford and come to an agreement that the other two companies will need to follow. But Fain blew that out of the water with his remarks.
Another reason why the heat is being felt is that, as we stand here today, on Saturday, October 21st, 2023, we are only 33 days away from Thanksgiving. That of course means the beginning of the holiday season, and CHRISTmas is not far behind.
If you thought your strike was only going to last two weeks and then all of a sudden, the 30,000-odd people who are out on strike and can't collect unemployment with the holiday season coming up on them were planning on those regular bigger checks to be there, you're going to get a bit grumpy.
That UAW strikes stipend of $500 a week is sure short of some of those larger, overtime-fueled checks that a lot of those on strike have become accustomed to.
Poker is a fun game to play, and it's even more fun when you're playing with other people's money. I'm pretty sure the current UAW leadership has not missed a paycheck since they ordered their membership in some plants to go on strike.
Yet while they may have some cards still to play, their members might lose some patience before they have the chance to play them all.
If Shawn Fain is bluffing on this deal, he better get in one of the faster cars the Big 3 make and drive on 75-South out of town as soon as possible -- and head to Vegas, where the stakes aren't nearly as high as messing with 100,000-plus UAW members' futures.
