The United Auto Workers (UAW) union expanded strikes against Stellantis this week, targeting a key truck plant in Michigan with 6,800 workers walking off the job.
UAW-represented workers walked off the job at the Sterling Heights, Michigan plant on Monday, with the UAW saying that Stellantis had the “worst proposal” on the table compared to fellow “Big Three” automakers General Motors (GM) and Ford (via Reuters).
Stellantis’s Sterling Heights truck plant produces the RAM 1500 and is the automaker’s largest and most profitable assembly plant, so the move represents a substantial escalation of the ongoing strikes.
The union noted that the automaker’s proposal was behind Ford and GM on general wage increases, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), and changes for temporary workers, including pay and the length of time it takes to transition from temporary to full-time. The latest walkouts bring the total number of UAW-represented workers on strike to over 40,000 as the strikes are in their sixth week.
Reuters wasn’t able to reach Stellantis for comment.
The UAW represents around 150,000 workers total at Ford, GM and Stellantis, and the union has been demanding a 40-percent wage increase for workers over a four-year period, an instant 20-percent wage increase, coverage for workers at future electric vehicle (EV) battery plants, and other benefit-related demands.
“Expanding it to the pickup trucks is really at the heart of what these companies produce,” said Tim Ghriskey, senior investment strategist at Ingalls & Snyder. “Labor is asking for so much. It’s really hard for the automakers to roll over to all of it and if they do roll over, it will punish the stock. It’s a very sticky situation.”
⏰ It's time for a deal that recognizes our members' sacrifices and contributions to the auto industry.
If the Big Three won't hear it from me, they'll hear it loud & clear from the 6,800 members of Local 1700 who just joined our Stand Up Strike at Stellantis's biggest plant. https://t.co/d49ai9BsTK
— Shawn Fain (@ShawnFainUAW) October 23, 2023
The news follows the UAW’s decision to target Ford’s highly profitable truck plant in Kentucky earlier this month, with roughly 8,700 workers vacating the job site. It also comes after Stellantis’s decision to cancel its appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last week, loosely citing the costs of the ongoing strike.
Late last month, the UAW avoided escalating strikes against Stellantis, while expanding them against GM and Ford, due to progress in contract negotiations with the former automaker. At the time, about 25,000 workers total were on strike across the three companies.
The strike has also caused the automakers to let go of employees at other auto plants, as worker walkouts send ripple effects through the industry. Most recently, Ford laid off 364 employees at plants in Ohio and Michigan, due to a need to reduce part production at each of the sites. Additional layoffs have faced adjacent auto parts suppliers.
It also comes ahead of Ford and GM reporting Q3 earnings this week, which could be used as further leverage in contract negotiations if financials are strong, but could also risk scaring off shareholders if they aren’t. Stellantis is expected to report its earnings the following week, on October 31.
UAW President Shawn Fain said on Friday that there was “more to be won” in negotiations, highlighting that the companies were all “extremely profitable.”
Fain has previously said that all three automakers had offered a 23-percent wage increase, alongside progress on other issues. He also suggested to workers last week that the talks could be nearing an end.
“That’s the hardest part of a strike,” Fain said. “Right before a deal is when there’s the most aggressive push for that last mile.”
UAW President: Tesla workers are union “members of the future”
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla adjusts Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin with new service area
The positioning of the driver, as well as the driver’s hands being closer to the steering wheel, is more similar to what Tesla is doing in the Bay Area Robotaxi program than it is to what it has done in Austin.
Tesla has adjusted its Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin after it expanded its service area in the city last week for the third time.
Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi platform in Austin since June 22. The vehicles have been operated without a driver, but Tesla has placed safety monitors in the passenger’s seat as a precaution.
The safety monitors are responsible for performing any necessary interventions and maintaining a safe and comfortable cabin for riders as they experience Tesla’s first venture into the driverless ride-sharing space.
Last week, Tesla expanded its service area in Austin for the third time, expanding it from about 90 square miles to 170 square miles. The expansion included new territory, including the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, and several freeways.
Tesla Robotaxi geofence expansion enters Plaid Mode and includes a surprise
The freeway is an area that is uncharted territory for the Tesla Robotaxi program, and this fact alone encouraged Tesla to switch up its safety monitor positioning for the time being.
For now, they will be riding in the driver’s seat when routes require freeway travel:
Sept 1 in Austin and our Robotaxi arrived with Tesla safety driver in the driver seat, similar to the Bay area (no logo on the car). Here’s that first moment when I realized, our autonomous car was heading onto the freeway. pic.twitter.com/1QfyN2Ubzf
— Gail 🇺🇸 (@gailalfaratx) September 2, 2025
The positioning of the driver, as well as the driver’s hands being closer to the steering wheel, is more similar to what Tesla is doing in the Bay Area Robotaxi program than it is to what it has done in Austin.
This is sure to draw criticism from skeptics, but it is simply a step to keep things controlled and safe while the first Robotaxi drives take passengers on the highway with this version of the Full Self-Driving software.
This FSD version differs from the one that customers have in their own vehicles, but CEO Elon Musk has indicated something big is coming soon. FSD v14 is coming to vehicles in the near future, and Musk has said its performance is pretty incredible.
Tesla’s Elon Musk shares optimistic teaser about FSD V14: “Feels sentient”
News
Tesla has best month ever in Turkey with drastic spike in sales
Tesla managed to sell 8,730 Model Y vehicles in Turkey, outpacing almost every competitor by a substantial margin. Only one brand sold better than Tesla in August in Turkey, and it was Renault.
Tesla had its best monthly performance ever in Turkey in August, thanks to a drastic spike in sales.
Tesla saw an 86 percent bump in sales of the new Model Y in Turkey in August compared to July, dominating the market.
The performance was one of Tesla’s best in the market, and the company’s sales for the month accounted for half of all EV sales in Turkey for August, as it dominated and led BYD, which was the second-best-selling brand with just 1,639 units sold.
Tesla managed to sell 8,730 Model Y vehicles in Turkey, outpacing almost every competitor by a substantial margin. Only one brand sold better than Tesla in August in Turkey, and it was Renault.
Turkey reported 8,730 Tesla sales and 10.6% market share in August. BEV penetration is 21.3% and Tesla has 49.9% of this segment. 🇹🇷
• Market share is 558 basis points or 111% above the 3-month trailing average of 5.0%
• Tesla second best-selling brand
• Model Y best-selling… pic.twitter.com/qLhX7VQWXp— Roland Pircher (@piloly) September 2, 2025
Electric vehicles are, in some ways, more desirable than their gas counterparts in Turkey for several reasons. Most of the reasoning is financial.
First, EVs are subject to a lower Special Consumption Tax in Turkey. EVs can range from 25 percent to up to 170 percent, but this is less than the 70 to 220 percent rate that gas-powered vehicles can face. The tax is dependent on engine size.
Additionally, EVs are exempt from the annual Motor Vehicle Tax for the first ten years, providing consumers with a long-term ownership advantage. There are also credits that can amount to $30,000 in breaks, which makes them more accessible and brings down the cost of ownership.
Let’s not forget the other advantages that are felt regardless of country: cheaper fuel costs, reduced maintenance, and improved performance.
The base Model Y is the only configuration available in Turkey currently.
News
Tesla is upgrading airbag safety through a crazy software update
“This upgrade builds upon your vehicle’s superior crash protection by now using Tesla Vision to help offer some of the most cutting-edge airbag performance in the event of a frontal crash.”
Tesla is upgrading airbag safety through a crazy software update, which will utilize the company’s vision-first approach to enable better protection in the event of an accident.
Over the years, Tesla has gained an incredible reputation for prioritizing safety in its vehicles, with crash test ratings at the forefront of its engineers’ minds.
This has led to Tesla gaining numerous five-star safety ratings and awards related to safety. It is not just a statistical thing, either. In the real world, we’ve seen Teslas demonstrate some impressive examples of crash safety.
Everything from that glass roof not caving in when a tree falls on it to a Model Y surviving a drive off a cliff has been recorded.
However, Tesla is always looking to improve safety, and unlike most companies, it does not need a physical hardware update to do so. It can enhance features such as crash response and airbag performance through Over-the-Air software updates, which download automatically to the vehicle.
In Tesla’s 2025.32 Software Update, the company is rolling out a Frontal Airbag System Enhancement, which aims to use Tesla Vision, the company’s camera-based approach to self-driving, to keep occupants safe.
The release notes state (via NotaTeslaApp):
“This upgrade builds upon your vehicle’s superior crash protection by now using Tesla Vision to help offer some of the most cutting-edge airbag performance in the event of a frontal crash. Building on top of regulatory and industry crash testing, this release enables front airbags to begin to inflate and restrain occupants earlier, in a way that only Tesla’s integrated systems are capable of doing, making your car safer over time.”
The use of cameras to predict a better time to restrain occupants with seatbelts and inflate airbags prior to a collision is a fantastic way to prevent injuries and limit harm done to those in the vehicle.
The feature is currently limited to the Model Y.
Tesla adjusts Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin with new service area
Tesla has best month ever in Turkey with drastic spike in sales
Tesla is upgrading airbag safety through a crazy software update
-
News4 days agoTesla is overhauling its Full Self-Driving subscription for easier access
-
Elon Musk5 days agoElon Musk shares unbelievable Starship Flight 10 landing feat
-
Elon Musk6 days agoElon Musk reveals when SpaceX will perform first-ever Starship catch
-
Elon Musk6 days agoSpaceX Starship Flight 10 was so successful, it’s breaking the anti-Musk narrative
-
News5 days agoTesla expands crazy new lease deal for insane savings on used inventory
-
News1 day agoTesla appears to be mulling a Cyber SUV design
-
News5 days agoTesla talks Semi ramp, Optimus, Robotaxi rollout, FSD with Wall Street firm
-
News6 days agoTesla launches Full Self-Driving in a new region