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General Motors (GM) & Ford (F) Decline Amid Union Demands

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Shares of leading U.S. automakers, General Motors (GM - Free Report) and Ford (F - Free Report) faced significant downturns yesterday amid concerns that their labor costs might skyrocket due to pressing demands from union leaders.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is pushing for amplified wage hikes and other benefits. Per recent reports from Bloomberg, these demands could potentially slap GM and Ford with over $80 billion in additional expenses each. These developments follow on the heels of the Teamsters union securing a hefty deal with United Parcel Service (UPS - Free Report) last month, adding tens of billions to its cost structure and subsequently leading to a slashed financial forecast for the year.

GM's stock value plummeted 5.8%, marking its steepest one-day fall in almost eight months. In tandem, Ford's shares lost 4.5%. This placed GM and Ford as the second and fourth most significant percentage decliners on the S&P 500, respectively.

GM and F currently carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy), respectively. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The epicenter of these tensions lies in the ongoing negotiations between these legacy automakers and the UAW concerning a new four-year contract. Among the union's ambitious requests are a 46% wage hike, the reinstatement of traditional pensions, cost-of-living adjustments, a reduced workweek and enhanced retiree perks.

While the automakers have expressed reservations about many of these demands, the recent success of organized labor, particularly the Teamsters with UPS, seems to have invigorated the union movements across the nation.

UAW president Shawn Fain champions the cause, emphasizing that the workforce's pivotal role in reviving these auto behemoths post the Great Recession merits a substantial reward. However, the automakers counter this by highlighting their already substantial compensation packages. They stress the need to maintain wage competitiveness, especially as they pivot their investment focus toward the burgeoning electric vehicle market.

As the tug-of-war between the automakers and unions intensifies, the outcome will not only shape the future labor landscape but also determine how swiftly these companies can adapt to the evolving electric vehicle market.

Disclaimer: This article has been written with the assistance of Generative AI. However, the author has reviewed, revised, supplemented, and rewritten parts of this content to ensure its originality and the precision of the incorporated information.


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