DETROIT (WXYZ) — In a video posted on the UAW's X account Thursday, UAW President Shawn Fain addressed reports of violence on union picket lines.
In Flint, Center Line, and Marysville this past week there have been reports of violence, according to Fain's video.
The alarming trend extends across the country.
Bryan Macker is the shop chairman of UAW Stellantis Local 375 at the Marysville National Parts Distribution Center.
He told 7 Action News that on Tuesday a Swift truck attempting to drive past the picket line hit two union members.
"They continue to push into our line, not giving us a chance to get out of the way and it’s unacceptable," said Macker.
Macker said there were no injuries in Tuesday's alleged incident, but there has been tension between some Swift drivers going in and out of the distribution center and UAW picketers.
Over in Center Line on Friday, a brawl broke out between what appeared to be a family driving by the picket, antagonizing strikers.
Then in Flint, there were reports of violence as well.
Fain mentioned at the beginning of a video posted on X, the union received a report out of Flint of a non-union contractor speeding up when they were leaving a parts depot and hitting five UAW members.
He also said they've received a violent car vs. strikers report out of Massachusetts and a report of guns being drawn between strikers and truck drivers in California.
Near the middle of the video, Fain casts blame saying, "Shame on these companies for hiring violent scabs to try to break our strike."
Stellantis responded to the video within hours with this statement:
We are appalled by the UAW’s characterization of the incidents occurring on the picket lines. Since the UAW expanded its strike to our parts distribution centers last Friday, we’ve witnessed an escalation of dangerous, and even violent, behavior by UAW picketers at several of those facilities, including slashing truck tires, jumping on vehicles, following people home and hurling racial slurs at dedicated Stellantis employees who are merely crossing the picket line to do their jobs. The fact is, Stellantis has not hired any outside replacement workers, who Shawn Fain calls “scabs”. Only current employees who are protecting our business and third parties making pick-ups and deliveries as they normally would are entering our facilities.The top levels of the UAW are aware of all this, yet Shawn Fain decided to make misleading and inflammatory statements, which will serve only to escalate the situation. We are extremely disappointed in the UAW leadership’s lack of ownership in this area, and we call on Shawn Fain and the entire UAW leadership to do its part to help ensure the safety of all Stellantis employees, including those on the picket line.Words matter. The deliberate use of inflammatory and violent rhetoric is dangerous and needs to stop. The companies are not “the enemy” and we are not at “war”. We respect our employees' right to advocate for their position, including their right to peacefully picket. But the violence must stop. We have put a record offer on the table and are working hard to reach an agreement as quickly as possible, which will enable us to go back to work... together. Let's make every effort to de-escalate our words and our actions until then.
Macker told 7 Action News, the negativity isn't benefiting anyone. He said, "Effects everything, our families are out here, our children are out here and they stand behind us. And I just don’t think anybody should be surging the line and trying to hurt somebody, it’s unacceptable."
