High-stakes negotiations between the United Auto Workers and Detroit automakers could lead to a strike later this month, putting added pressure on already beaten-down shares of Ford Motor (F). The risk of a walkout by the union has also created near-term uncertainty for General Motors (GM) and Stellantis (STLA) — the Dutch owner of the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands, among others. The UAW’s current labor contract covering 146,000 workers at the Big 3 American automakers expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 14. Jim Cramer’s advice: He would not look to buy more Ford on weakness nor would he look to sell Ford stock at this point. Club name Ford, which employs the most UAW members at 57,000, has seen its stock drop more than 6% in the past month. Over the same stretch, GM, which has 46,000 UAW members, declined roughly 9% and Stellantis, which has 43,000 union workers, fell roughly 7%. No matter where the talks lead, the automakers are going to see significant increases in their labor costs. The question is whether they have enough inventory to offset complications from work stoppage. Jim has been concerned about the risk of an auto strike for weeks now, stressing in his weekly column on Monday that “these negotiations are also going to be about true colors.” He added Tuesday morning that Stellantis has been the “most belligerent” and could be singled out for a walkout, to send a message to Ford and GM. Last month, rank-and-file UAW members voted overwhelmingly to grant union leaders the authority to call strikes against the three automakers, if warranted. The vote does not guarantee a strike, but it helps UAW President Shawn Fain put pressure on the automakers to meet the union’s proposals. Fain, who was elected in March, has declared “war” on the automakers. He wants to see a 46% increase in base salaries, pension increases, and a 32-hour work week as part of a list of economic demands. Ford offered last week 15% guaranteed combined wage increases and lump sums,…
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