Portside

The United Auto Workers said on Sunday that a nationwide strike will begin before midnight. The move comes after the union and General Motors failed to agree on a new contract.

As is UAW practice, union leaders including Jones have been silent about bargaining goals, with no information trickled down to members.

"GM needs to pay more attention to relationships on the Hill," said U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, who described GM recently as the “most disliked company in Washington."

With the Lordstown GM plant closing, the idea of tackling worker alienation, behind workers 1972 "industrial Woodstock," seems lost. The measure of that loss is in news that the US death rate is rising due to suicide and drug overdose.

The problem facing autoworkers isn’t simply one or two bad rounds of negotiation, but a race-to-the-bottom pattern of bargaining. At the heart of this mess is the company pitting workers against each other in a competition to save jobs.

Trump is visiting Ypsilanti, Michigan on Wednesday. In an unprecedented move, "Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors told workers they will transport them to and from Trump's rally, provide lunch and cover their pay for the day if they miss a shift at their plant. Ford will do the same, but will not cover their pay." These companies have never before brought workers to a rally for a President and given them the day off. Some UAW Local Presidents opposed this.