'They do good work — I'm looking at it': UAW strikers get support from Detroit auto show visitors

While thousands of people were drawn to downtown Detroit to see the cars at the auto show, some also expressed support for the workers who make them.

The United Auto Workers union went on strike early Friday at Ford Motor Co.'s Bronco plant in Wayne, Stellantis NV's Jeep Wrangler plant in Toledo and a General Motor Co. plant in Missouri as a deadline set by the union to reach new contracts expired.

The walkouts, which involved 12,900 auto workers, marked the first time in the union's more than 80-year history that it has struck all three Detroit automakers simultaneously.

Some auto show attendees said the protest was warranted.

"Prices are sky-high on everything now, especially after COVID," said Justine Thomas of Pontiac. "I support (the auto workers) because ya know, they do good work — I'm looking at it now!"

The union has requested double-digit wage increases as much as 46%, pensions and retiree health-care for all workers, the elimination of tiers, cost-of-living adjustments and 32-hour work weeks paid as 40 hours.

"They deserve to be paid for the amount of labor that they put in," said Gerri Johnson of Detroit. "When you have a company that's making record profits and you have employees that making $19 and $20 an hour ... they deserve an increase; they should have a livable wage."

Some visitors said they expect the strike to end soon as negotiations are underway, saying it will cause the companies to lose much of their profits.

Vendor Brook Merchant of Farmington Hills said he thinks the union's demands were unreasonable. Still, he said he supports their cause.

"I think they want to try to get as much as they can, and they deserve it," Merchant said. "I think this strike will last a little longer than others in the past. But they have to reach an agreement soon; its going to cost them too much not to build."

The UAW has also proposed eliminating a tier system under which newer hires make lower wages and have fewer benefits than longer-tenured employees. The union is proposing a 90-day progression period to the top of the wage scale.

The companies so far have agreed to cut the progression period in half, from eight years to four.

Additionally, the union is seeking the restoration of cost-of-living adjustments, a benefit that was suspended in 2009.

Auto show visitors said without implementing these proposals, the middle class will disappear.

"With the price of everything going up and even the costs of these cars out here, its going to take more just to sustain the life that you had," said Detroit resident Sylvester Randolph. "We're losing the middle class ... the UAW actually built the middle class and the country actually needs its if it knows it or not."

Oscar Randolph, Sylvester Randolph's brother, said he thinks wages should not only increase but that tier system should be eliminated.

"Some guys are coming in at $17 an hour .. come on, really? And you're working next to a guy that's making 20-something an hour? They're all doing the same job; they should be paid the same, too," he added.