in economic history and present—day frustrations. it's part of a long—running battle between titans of industry and those on factory floors. for the next half—hour we're going to look at what's happening at these three plants, owned by the big three — general motors, ford and stellantis and what it means for american workers and the economy. the union at the centre of the dispute — the uaw — represesnts146,000 auto workers, who could all walk out over time. currently 13,000 are on strike. this strike is of course just one of many industrial actions that we've seen in the us this year, and further afield. here's a tiny snapshot ofjust some of them. injanuary of this year, teachers in lebanon went on strike over working conditions and pay. in february, it was palestinian teachers who walked off thejob. march saw a public transit strike in germany. after german unions staged a one —day strike calling for better salaries. in april, flights were disrupted in nigeria as workers protested pay and conditions. some 3000 teachers and school staff in oakland, california went on strike in may. june saw a highly—contentious strike by starbucks workers, over a ban on displaying lgbt decor. july was the members of sag—aftra join the writers�* guild strike which has crippled hollywod, and well beyond and still continues. and last month nurses and hospital workers at robert wood johnson university in newjersey walked off the job over staffing levels and other issues. but for now, let's turn our attention to that us auto strike, and hear from our correspondent michelle fleury who's in detroit. the latest contract between america's big three car—makers and their union expired a little bit before midnight, triggering a first round of walk—outs at three factories, one each at general motors in missouri, stellantis in ohio and ford right here in michigan. the workers are asking for better benefits. they also want to see a 40% pay increase over the lifetime of the four and a half year contract. the car companies are offering about half of that. the uaw�*s president says it's a shame that negotiations have broken down, but he sees this as a fight for fair and social justice, and so do his members, many of whom sacrificed a lot to help the car companies return to health after the 2008 financial crisis. we gave our concessions up with the understanding that when things got better with ford we would get our stuff back, and we are having to now fight for it. there are people that i know that work here who are check to check, you know, pay cheque to pay cheque, and this was once a job that it was so hard to get in, you could put your children through college, retirement, have the time of your life. but now we are struggling. as of late august, the three car companies had enough vehicles to manage for up to 70 days. after that, they will run short, and that could lead to higher prices. according to some estimates, even a two week strike could push up the cost of a new car by as much as 2%. and beyond the economic implications, there are political ones too. joe biden considers himself one of the most prounion presidents in modern history. he is sending representatives from the white house to help at the negotiations, adding that record profits should also lead to record contracts for workers. you heard michelle referenece president biden there, and his involvement in this standoff. mr biden bills himself as the most union—friendly president in decades, and he made clear his support for workers at the white house today. no one wants a strike. no one wants a strike. but i respect workersplupos right to use the collective bargaining system and i respect the frustration. 0ver generations workers have sacrificed so much to keep the industry alive and strong especially through the economic crisis and the pandemic. workers use now, as we've mentioned the strike so far has been the fair share of the income they have created for an enterprise. the strike so far has been a �*targetted' strike involving only a fraction of the total uaw union membership. but even so, an economic impact is inevitable. according to an estimate from the anderson economic group, the total lost production from a 10—day shutdown at the three affected plans will range between 20—thousnd and 25—thousand cars. and if all of the u—a—w�*s workforce walked off the job, the total impact of a 10—day strike would exceed five—billion dollars. live now to jeanne whalen of the washington post. nearly 2a hours into this strike, just three units have been stood up, what's the latest? the very well could. the union leader has said they could widen the strike. they had not said when that will happen, they want to keep the companies on their toes and keep them guessing. but it could widen. at the same time the company is now in a new twist have said that they are temporarily idling and sending temporary unemployment some non—striking workers, who cannot carry on with theirjobs because they are not getting parts from the striking facilities. it is affecting already 2a hours into this the non—striking workers. and were the workers expecting that? we heard a lot about how contracts would expire at midnight but the employers would have to maintain the current terms and conditions until new contracts have put in place. until new contracts have put in lace. . , ~ place. that is right, i think the union _ place. that is right, i think the union was _ place. that is right, i think the union was expect - place. that is right, i think| the union was expect them some retaliation, i don't know if thatis retaliation, i don't know if that is the right word from the companies but certainly some unforeseen events and setbacks. the union has said they will take care of these workers. when contracts expire, some unknowns happen and i think this is one of them. normally when an auto company - this is one of them. normally when an auto company idols. when an auto company idols production and they do this from time to time, if they are short on parts, during the semiconductor shortage they would do this occasionally where they would idle a plant and send workers home and give them what they call supplemental unemployment benefits, which is a percentage of the normal wages. it is a normal practice to send them home in the case where they cannot produce something, but in this case the workers will not get those benefits from the companies, because their contract has expired. so it is a bad outcome for the non—striking folks so far. and have there been any further negotiations between the companies to move this along? shaun lane said yesterday we are not going to negotiate, but there are plans to go back to the bargaining table tomorrow at least with ford. so we may see some moves tomorrow. but the two sides are quite far apart on terms. so it is not clear how quickly this might be resolved. , , , resolved. this will be my next question. _ resolved. this will be my next question. is — resolved. this will be my next question, is there _ resolved. this will be my next question, is there any idea . resolved. this will be my next. question, is there any idea how long this will run? if there are idled workers there is a serious impact in peopleposmac pocketbooks. it is serious impact in peopleposmac pocketbook-— pocketbooks. it is extremely unclear to — pocketbooks. it is extremely unclear to me _ pocketbooks. it is extremely unclear to me and _ pocketbooks. it is extremely unclear to me and everyone | unclear to me and everyone else, as you noted the unions started out asking for a 40% wage increase. it has since come down to 30%, 36% raise over a four year contract. the companies over 4.5 years, that is their latest over 4.5 years, that is their let's hear directly now from those on the picket line. luigi gjokaj is vice president at the uaw local 51 branch. they've been rallying in detroit tonight and i spoke to him just before that began. they are still quite far apart on wages and also on a number of issues such as the workers would like everyone to receive a defined benefit pension in retirement instead of a 401(k) contributions, they would like company financed health care in retirement which not all workers get at the moment, and the company has pushed back on both of those demands. unless there is some real bunching on one side of the other or something makes this untenable for one side or the other, i don't really see how it can end very soon. don't really see how it can end very soon-— very soon. ok, this as you say, len very soon. ok, this as you say, plenty more to _ very soon. ok, this as you say, plenty more to talk— plenty more to talk about, but we leave it there for the moment, jean whelan from the washington post, thank you for joining us. it has not kept up with the retirement packages, i don't have the same opportunity and the samejob don't have the same opportunity and the same job my grandfather had over a0 years ago when he first started. voting for strike action is not anything anyone takes lightly so why did you vote for straight action? the company needs to understand that a fair agreement that helps other workers, we are going to withhold our labour, we will withhold our labour from the company.- from the company. you mentioned the job is not _ from the company. you mentioned the job is not the same _ the job is not the same job your grandfather had enjoyed, but the employers would say society is not the same society, the economic conditions are not the same either. can you understand their argument as to why they feel they cannot go for the a0% pay increase? i feel they cannot go for the 40% pay increase?— feel they cannot go for the 4096 pay increase?— pay increase? i will say the weather changes _ pay increase? i will say the weather changes as - pay increase? i will say the weather changes as well i pay increase? i will say the | weather changes as well but pay increase? i will say the - weather changes as well but we have hats and boots and jackets and garments that we protect ourselves with, and that is what the uaw is trying to do for the entire workforce and the entire middle class. the president of _ the entire middle class. the president of your _ the entire middle class. the president of your union has described it as a defining moment saying the world is watching. why do you think he is framing it in those terms? because the uaw and the union created the middle class in america and even worldwide. they gave us the opportunity to bridge the gap between the haves and have—nots and we are circling back into that same error. �* , . ., error. and it is historic to strike at _ error. and it is historic to strike at all— error. and it is historic to strike at all three - error. and it is historic to strike at all three of - error. and it is historic to strike at all three of the l error. and it is historic to i strike at all three of the big three at the same time, what is the mood like among your members?— members? it is a bit of anxiety. _ members? it is a bit of anxiety. a _ members? it is a bit of anxiety, a bit - members? it is a bit of anxiety, a bit of - members? it is a bit of - anxiety, a bit of excitement and uncertainty like anything. but we were prepared of this would happen, i want to make it clear that we did not want this to happen. wejust want clear that we did not want this to happen. we just want to go to happen. we just want to go to work every so that's the view from the workers' side of things. before we get to the view of the carmakers, let's focus more now on what's keeping the two sides apart. among the union's demands includes a 36% wage increase over four years. automakers have responded with wage increases ranging from i7.5%—20% paid out over a a.5—year contract. mary barra is head of gm, and has been speaking to our us media partner cbs news about her company's offer. iam very i am very proud of the offer we put on the table last night yesterday because it is record from a gross wage increase perspective. in our 115 year history as well as maintaining strong health care world—class health care that our employees enjoy and one thing very important is for thejob important is for the job security perspective. in this contract we have product and work for every single one of our clients. that did not happen by accident come it happens because a few years back we started to plan for this historic transformation from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles that we would have worked for our people because we wanted them to come along with us on thisjourney them to come along with us on this journey because at one of the reasons we developed power unit internally so they could be built at the plans for today where an internal combustion engine is not because we have been working on this very hard. we have an historic article on the table. we are at the table ready to keep going and get this resolved as quickly as possible. mary barra of gm there. now, this uaw strike come after decades of declining union membership rates among us workers. in 1983, one—in—five us employees were members of a union — or about 20%. fast forward to last year, and it wasjust about half that 1983 figure with only one in ten workers being in a union. there are many reasons for this, of course. automation of certain tasks in factories for one. jobs moving overseas in an increasingly globalized economy and a new generation of workers seeking other opportunities, to name just a few. let's talk a bit now about this auto workers' strike fits into the wider trends in the us labour movement. lane windham is a labour historian and associate director of kalmanovitz initiative for labor and the working poor at georgetown university. i spoke to her a little earlier to get her analysis. thank you forjoining us. let's start by looking at the uaw strike that has just been cold for them it is the first time the union has hit all three of the union has hit all three of the big three car manufacturers with a strike at the same time. why is this strike action so different and so serious? yes. this is an _ different and so serious? yes. this is an historic— different and so serious? yes. this is an historic action. - different and so serious? yes. this is an historic action. the | this is an historic action. the first time in the 80 plus year history of the uaw that they have struck all the big three auto—makers. 13,000 workers are now on strike. it's all 150,000 workers went out on strike, the two strikes happening in the us right now uaw and the actors and writers guild, it would be the two largest strikes in years happening simultaneously in the us. just not used to this level of worker action and collective activity in labour. it feels very different here. why do you think that is happening now? you can add into that the rail strike that almost happened at the end of last year as well. why is there at this sudden level of extra agitation? aha, at this sudden level of extra agitation?— at this sudden level of extra auitation? ., ., , ., agitation? a lot of people have been calling — agitation? a lot of people have been calling it _ agitation? a lot of people have been calling it hard _ agitation? a lot of people have been calling it hard labour- been calling it hard labour summary. in part is because unemployment is lower but it is really more than that. this is part of what you might call a post—pandemic upsurge. there are lots more worker activism in the last few years. i think during the pandemic people re—evaluated what they are going to take a job, what they are willing to expect. people bearing pots and pans for essential workers and watched as they went back to their same old jobs. as they went back to their same oldjobs. people as they went back to their same old jobs. people i think have a different mindset about the workplace and post—pandemic error. they are demanding more. when some brokers go out on strike like the uaw, it can turbo—charge the whole movement. there is a lot of momentum happening with so many workers striking and organising. i think we are seeing that in many sectors across the economy. it seeing that in many sectors across the economy. if unions are taking _ across the economy. if unions are taking a — across the economy. if unions are taking a harder— across the economy. if unions are taking a harder line, - across the economy. if unions are taking a harder line, can l are taking a harder line, can we expect to see employers doing something similar? when you look at the hollywood screen actors and writers strike, that has been going on for months, we don't know what is going to happen with the uaw strike, how long that will last for. i strike, how long that will last for. ~' , , for. i think employers in the united states _ for. i think employers in the united states are _ for. i think employers in the united states are not - for. i think employers in the united states are not used i for. i think employers in the | united states are not used to workers pushing back at the level they are now. i think they are beginning to recalibrate how they are going to work with their employees engaging in collective action. we recently saw nearly 200,000 ups workers almost went on strike. members of teamsters. that strike did not happen because it looks like ups realised there is lots of activity, the workers are ready to walk. the teamsters were able to deal with the two tier wage system that is the same sort of thing the uaw is trying to deal with. yes, i think some employers may decide we have to rethink what we are asking of our employees and we may have to come in at a different level in terms of our negotiations. is there a place for federal intervention in any of this? particularly the strike, the uaw strike, if it goes on for a long time and result in nearly 150,000 workers out, there is a potential for massive economic impact. notjust in the region but the whole of the us. president biden has the authority to call for an 80 day cooling off period that is different from what he did under the railroad worker strike. that was a different law, the railroad labour act, that allows the presidential administration a heavier hand and stepping into a labour dispute. the administration would have the capacity to call for a cooling off period. i am not sure president biden would do that. , ., ., do that. interesting one for him given _ do that. interesting one for him given how _ do that. interesting one for him given how he - do that. interesting one for him given how he kind - do that. interesting one for him given how he kind of. do that. interesting one for - him given how he kind of prides himself on coming from that working class background and speaking for workers and fairness. speaking for workers and fairness-— speaking for workers and fairness. ~ , ,., , ., , fairness. absolutely. it has -rided fairness. absolutely. it has prided itself _ fairness. absolutely. it has prided itself on _ fairness. absolutely. it has prided itself on being - fairness. absolutely. it has prided itself on being very| prided itself on being very pro union and supporting working people. just over labor day in the administration came out with a new study from the us treasury department affirming the advantage that union workers make 10%—50% more than workers make 10%—50% more than workers who do not have a union. it also racial and gender wage gap. the biden administration has definitely been supporting workers' rights to organise. their rights to collective action.— to organise. their rights to collective action. the other issue with _ collective action. the other issue with this _ collective action. the other issue with this situation - issue with this situation is environmental policies and how they impact upon long—standing industries because we hear a lot of talk about the need for a just transition. how can that be delivered in practice here for these workers? where their industry is changing so much in terms of moving to green technologies and away from videos to more sustainable energy models. videos to more sustainable ener: models. . ., ., , energy models. technology, the . uestion energy models. technology, the question of— energy models. technology, the question of technology is - energy models. technology, the question of technology is not. question of technology is not so much can workers stop technology as much as who is going to have power over it. this is sort of the same question we see in the writers and actors strike in terms of the use of artificial intelligence. also workers are saying, as we understand, that is going to be a transition to electric vehicles. we want to have a say, some power in that transition. in part, that is why they are really holding the line and making demands now and walking the picket line because they understand there is a massive transformation happening in the industry. they want to make sure their standard of living is protected during the transition.- during the transition. plenty more to talk about - during the transition. plenty more to talk about but - during the transition. plenty l more to talk about but we will leave it there for the moment. thank you so much forjoining us. thank you so much for “oining us. . ., ~' thank you so much for “oining us. . ., ~ , ., and finally, this uaw strike is historic in its size and scale and will no doubt go down in the history books of the us labor movement but it also has direct roots in this nation's history. in fact, in 1937 the very same union, the united auto workers took part in the first major labour dispute in the us auto industry. it was referred to as "the strike heard round the world" and it led directly to increased wages for workers. the symbol of the american workers remained a potent one for decades, but union membership has declined dramatically in recent decades. that's all for this special look at labour issues here in the us. thank you for watching. i'll be back in 30 minutes with the latest headlines. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. most of scotland didn't have a great day of weather on friday — it was wet and cool. however, it was a pretty spectacular end to the day. look at this sunset viewed from john 0'groats in highland, scotland. the rain was with us, though, for most of the day in scotland, northern ireland and far north of england and underneath this rain band as well, that didn't budge all day — it was pretty cool as well. temperatures, for example, dropping in newcastle from 18 on thursday, just highs of 12 degrees on friday with that rain really lingering for much of the day. now we've still got the same weather front on the charts at the moment and that's going to be slowly sliding its way southwards. so rainjust edging into parts of northern england. a few thundery showers are possible coming up from cherbourg into the south—west of england and they may well rumble away into the far south of wales just as we start the day on saturday. otherwise it's a damp start for northern england. the rest of wales further eastwards we've got some sunshine. sunshine likely to be quite hazy. there will be a bit of high cloud in the sky as we go through the day. sunny skies start to move southwards across northern and then central scotland should brighten up too in northern ireland. for most temperatures, not that special, but across central and eastern england, another hot day — temperatures could hit 26 or 27. then for sunday, another change — a band of thundery rain moves up from the south. the amount of rain we see from this is going to vary a lot from place to place, but could be enough to bring some localised areas of flooding. and the rain reached across northern ireland to reach western scotland as well. then as we go through sunday night, those storms will continue to move their way northwards and eastwards. into monday, low pressure starts to move in off the atlantic with a couple of weather fronts moving across oui’ shores. they will be bringing bands of rain and also strengthening westerly winds and ultimately a drop in temperatures. but that drop just sees temperatures get closer to average rather than it being especially cool. so monday, a blustery day. band of rain pushes eastwards, the strong winds blowing the rain through. then we see a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers, perhaps with a few rumbles of thunder. and for the most part, these temperatures are still above average for september. now, beyond that, the rest of the week looks very unsettled, low pressure firmly in charge. it's often going to be quite wet, it's often going to be quite windy. but for the most part, although it's not hot, temperatures will stay above average for september. well this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour straight after this programme. this week, a new way to detect alzheimer's — lara visits the virtual reality world, helping in the early diagnosis of dementia. oh, i'm quite close. yeah, well... well, relatively close. maybe i'm not that close at all. would you be happy with your kids taking this kind of science lesson? with the right amount of pressure, the great pyramid could generate a tremendous amount of electricity. we'll investigate the ai targeting children with disinformation. and we're in india to see how the diamond industry could become more sustainable by growing precious stones ina lab. the royal institution of great britain.

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