On Oct. 23, 6,800 United Auto Workers union workers walked out of a Stellantis pick-up truck assembly plant in Michigan, shutting down production at the automaker’s largest plant.

The walkout of the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit, which produces Stellantis’ RAM 1500 trucks, was a surprise.

The move comes just days after UAW President Shawn Fain detailed the current proposals across the automakers, highlighting the “shortcomings” of Stellantis’ current offer.

“Stellantis lags behind both Ford and General Motors in addressing the demands of their UAW workforce,” he wrote in an Oct. 23 news release. “Currently, Stellantis has the worst proposal on the table regarding wage progression, temporary worker pay and conversion to full-time, cost-of-living adjustments, and more.”

According to a Wall Street Journal report quoting Stellantis’ offer to the union on Thursday included a 23% wage increase over the life of the contract and a nearly 50% bump in its contribution to employee retirement plans, along with added job security, the company said.

UAW “Big 3” Strike By The Numbers

• As of Oct. 23, the total number of UAW members on strike at the Big Three automakers is over 40,000 as the strike nears the six-week mark.
• The strike began on Sept. 15 with a walkout against three assembly plants in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
• The strike has since grown to include 7 assembly plants and 38 parts distribution centers in 22 states.