Customer concern rises amid UAW strike

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The auto worker’s union, United Auto Workers, is putting big-name CEOs in the hot seat this week, as a strike for better wages continues.

For the first time auto workers from three major manufacturers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler’s parent company: ‘Stellantis’, are going on strike at the same time.

It’s a strategy University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor and labor law expert, Steven Willborn, said could be effective.

“They know what they’re doing,“ Willborn said. “Part of the goal is to put pressure on the automakers to have them believe that paying the wages would be a cheaper option than undergoing the economic hardships otherwise.”

Economic hardships that may soon be felt by dealerships and consumers.

In Lincoln, local dealerships said the strike has not affected business yet. However, customer concern when it comes to auto parts availability is on the rise.

In 2008, the Obama administration offered a payout to manufacturers going bankrupt. In return, workers agreed to freeze pay increases as well as forfeiting certain health care benefits.

Since then, the Economic Policy Institute stated, the compensation of CEOs has gone up more than 1,400% since 1978. Meanwhile, worker compensation has only been raised 18%.

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