Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Comment
Robert Reich

Is the pendulum of power swinging towards US unions?

United Auto Workers expands its strike to General Motors engine plant in Spring Hill<br>Union members picket General Motors (GM) which is in the midst of a tentative deal being reached with the United Auto Workers (UAW), which expanded its strike over the weekend to the General Motors (GM) engine plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, U.S. October 30, 2023. REUTERS/Seth Herald
‘Since the late 1970s, the wages of production workers have been nearly stagnant, adjusted for inflation.’ Photograph: Seth Herald/Reuters

The United Auto Workers has scored a major victory. It’s still awaiting a vote by union members, but it’s a big deal – a 25% wage increase over the four and a half years of the contract, cost-of-living increases that will further ratchet up hourly pay, the right to strike over plant closures and a shorter time period for workers to reach top pay.

If the victory ripples across the auto industry and encourages wage increases in other sectors, it will also be a victory for the American middle class.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.