Murphy, Blumenthal Join Colleagues To Introduce Senate Resolution In Solidarity With UAW Workers On Strike

HARTFORD–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 32 of their Senate colleagues led by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), to introduce a resolution in solidarity with 150,000 members of United Auto Workers (UAW) bargaining for a fair contract.

One of the largest U.S. strikes in the past three decades, autoworkers voted to go on strike in September – calling for a fair share of the record-breaking profits their labor produces as well as cost-of-living adjustments, an end to two-tier wage system, and restoration of pension benefits. Since then, the strike has expanded to 44 locations across 22 states with 34,000 workers striking.

“While greedy corporations get richer and richer, American workers have been getting screwed – and they’ve had enough. I support the UAW and their fight against a rigged economy that pads the pockets of CEOs and leaves workers with barely enough money to get by. We don’t have to accept this, and I’ll stand with the workers as long as it takes for them to get what they deserve,” Murphy said.

“Automakers are reaping record profits as their workers fight for livable wages and basic benefits. I stand with the UAW workers on strike and urge the Big Three automakers to immediately do right by these hard-working Americans — many of whom cannot afford groceries, rent, or child care let alone the very cars they make. Our resolution calls on the automakers to bargain in good faith and make sure these workers get treated with the dignity and respect they deserve,” Blumenthal said.

The resolution was led by Sanders and Brown and joined by Sens. Blumenthal, Murphy Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Resolution text is available below and here.

Supporting the nearly 150,000 United Auto Workers currently negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the ‘‘Big Three’’ automakers.

Whereas the United Auto Workers (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘UAW’’) are on strike for better wages, benefits, and working conditions at the Big Three automakers (General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford);

Whereas the Big Three automakers have made $21,000,000,000 in profits over the first 6 months of 2023, an increase of 80 percent from the same time period last year;

Whereas the Big Three automakers have made $250,000,000,000 in profits over the past decade in North America;

Whereas the Big Three automakers are providing their Chief Executive Officers with exorbitant compensation packages, while autoworkers continue to fall further and further behind;

Whereas the average wage for an autoworker has decreased by 30 percent over the past 20 years, after adjusting for inflation;

Whereas the Big Three spent $9,000,000,000 last year on stock buybacks and dividends, while the average starting wage at these companies is just $17 an hour;

Whereas many UAW members today cannot afford to buy the cars they make and struggle to afford the basic necessities of life, including groceries, housing, child care, and prescription drugs;

Whereas UAW members are fighting against corporate greed and to finally receive a fair share of the record-breaking profits that their labor has produced, including for cost-of-living adjustments, an end to the 2-tier wage system, and the restoration of pension benefits; and

Whereas, since the passage of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) in 1935, it is the clear policy of the United States to encourage collective bargaining and protect the fundamental right of workers to seek better working conditions: Now, therefore, be it

1     Resolved, That the Senate—

1     (1) stands with the United Auto Workers in

2     their fight against corporate greed;

3     (2) supports every worker’s fundamental right 4 to organize and collectively bargain for better wages,

5     benefits, and working conditions; and

6     (3) calls on the Big Three automakers—Gen

7     eral Motors, Stellantis, and Ford—to negotiate in

8     good faith and offer their workers a fair contract.

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