Threats of a strike heating up even before UAW begins negotiations with automakers

Whenever the United Auto Workers union begins negotiating a new contract with Detroit’s three automakers, threats of a strike are typically heard among union members. This year, the talk is a little louder. Besides the usual haggling over wages, pensions and health care, the union has set its sights on a more consequential goal: It's determined to secure a foothold in the plants that will manufacture electric vehicle batteries in the years ahead. As the industry undergoes a historic transition from internal combustion engines to EVs, the automakers will likely need many thousands of workers to staff electric-battery plants. The UAW sees this year’s contract as an opportunity to ensure representation in the industry’s jobs of the future.