Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - "The membership is fired up and ready to go. We're just waiting on the companies to see what the proposals are." Ray Jensen, UAW Region 9, Assistant Director joined WBEN on Thursday morning as the clock ticked toward a midnight deadline for a possible UAW strike against the Big 3 automakers.
"At some point, you have to draw a line in the sand, put your foot down and say enough is enough. And that's what the membership is doing," he said. "We're ready to fight."
About 4,300 GM and Ford workers in Western New York would be impacted by a walkout.
For the first time in the UAW's history, the union could order members at all three of Detroit's automakers, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, to walk off the job after their contracts expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, according to UAW President Shawn Fain.
The Friday walkout would start with targeted strikes designed to "create confusion," among automakers.
Jensen is preparing for a strategic strike. "It's uncharted territory for all of us," he said. "But the locals are well prepared. They've been getting the memberships prepared for months. We're all on board, all in, and ready to go," added Jensen.
Art Wheaton, with the Worker Institute at Cornell, said this strategy keeps everybody guessing. "It's very hard to manage the auto industry in the best of times. But not knowing which plants are working, or not working, the day before, is really tough on the automakers."
If the UAW strikes individual plants or parts makers, Wheaton said they'll have a terrible time trying to complete finished vehicles and getting them to dealerships.
Never before has the UAW tried rolling strikes at all three companies during labor unrest.
how long could a strike last? Jensen said it depends on the companies. "It depends on their willingness to give us our fair share. When our labor isn't valued, we have the power to strike. If they take our proposals seriously, it could be a short strike. If not, it could be a longer strike."
He said the UAW remains hopeful. "None of us want to go on strike. We'll see what happens tonight at midnight."