The Detroit Three automakers have lost more than one-point-one Billion dollars in the past two weeks according to estimates from the Anderson Economic Group. The consulting firm says auto workers both UAW and non-union have lost 325 million dollars in direct wages during that time. Anderson estimates suppliers have seen the biggest drop in wages and earnings with more than one-point-two Billion dollars in losses.
Julie Fream advocates for original equipment suppliers as part of MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association. She says the strike is causing layoffs throughout the auto sector.
"Your sales people. Your engineers. People that aren’t directly impacted on the manufacturing floor. But as time goes on in this strike, we will see increasing numbers of cutbacks."
Freem says suppliers have cut staff by 18 percent in the past two weeks and more layoffs are likely. She says the equipment manufacturing industry has been distressed since before the strikes because of chip shortages and lasting impacts from the COVID-19 emergency.