--- title: If an auto industry exec tells you their job doesn’t suck, don’t believe them - The Hustle description: A critical moment in the auto industry reverberates far beyond Detroit. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/834999588-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-auto_20230911231654.webp --- # If an auto industry exec tells you their job doesn’t suck, don’t believe them ![Ben Berkley](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Ben Berkley](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/ben-berkley) Published: September 13, 2023 Updated: October 11, 2023 Summer is over, meteorologically speaking, but “hot labor summer” is just heating up. ![A few dozen rows of newly manufactured cars photographed from above and transposed on an ominous purple background featuring lightning bolts and dollar bills.](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/834999588-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-auto_20230911231654.webp?width=595&height=400&name=834999588-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-auto_20230911231654.webp) If automakers do not meet demands from the United Auto Workers by Thursday, ~146k factory workers will go on strike, effectively pausing US auto production. A walkoff would bring the number of employees who went on strike this year to [450k+](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/09/03/business/economy/strikes-union-sag-uaw.html), the highest level since 2018. #### **The pressure is on automakers** UAW wants 46% raises over the next four years, among other benefits, [per](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/auto-workers-are-prepared-to-strike-major-u-s-car-makers-this-week-heres-why) *PBS NewsHour*. In 2007, the union made concessions to float General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler) through the Great Recession. Now that the companies are profit engines anew, collectively making ~$20B so far this year, workers want a bigger slice. Emboldening them right now: - **A winning summer for unions: **Though Hollywood’s labor gridlock continues, unions backing pilots and UPS drivers have seen [big wins](https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/unions-flex-power-when-workers-are-in-short-supply-ff4ab076?mod=economy_lead_pos1). - **Public support: **A Gallup poll shows [75%](https://www.npr.org/2023/09/04/1197265279/labor-unions-labor-day-ups-starbucks-hollywood-sag-uaw-jobs) of Americans support the UAW in its contract talks. - **Political leverage: **A [study](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-10/even-a-brief-uaw-strike-seen-causing-billions-in-damage-to-us-economy?sref=3Ac2yX40) from consulting firm Anderson Economic Group shows how a 10-day strike would reduce US GDP by $5.6B and push Michigan into recession — but that’ll only increase pressure from a [union-friendly](https://www.npr.org/2023/09/04/1197265279/labor-unions-labor-day-ups-starbucks-hollywood-sag-uaw-jobs) Biden administration. #### **Things are already messy for automakers** Labor concerns aside, car prices are surging — the average price of a vehicle has surpassed [$50k](https://www.marketplace.org/2023/08/21/car-prices-are-still-stubbornly-high/) — which *The Wall Street Journal* [warns](https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/car-prices-might-be-unsustainable-for-buyers-18d7b395) “might be unsustainable for buyers.” As consumers struggle with regular monthly car payments, automakers’ plans to increase profits include [additive paid subscriptions](https://www.axios.com/2023/09/07/car-subscription-fees-unlock-features-new-cars) for in-car features like entertainment and navigation tools. - It’ll be a tough sell; BMW customers were [so upset](https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/7/23863258/bmw-cancel-heated-seat-subscription-microtransaction) about a $18/month heated seats subscription, the luxury brand ditched the plan. **Looking for a silver lining?** There isn’t one for automakers today. The Mozilla Foundation released a [report](https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/its-official-cars-are-the-worst-product-category-we-have-ever-reviewed-for-privacy/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioswhatsnext&stream=science) calling cars “the worst product category we have ever reviewed for privacy,” and calling the way car companies handle customer data a “privacy nightmare.” Topics: [Transportation](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/transportation) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![Just because you can easily fly this new helicopter doesn’t mean you should](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/430149081-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-chopper_20230905212031.webp) ### Just because you can easily fly this new helicopter doesn’t mean you should - ![Where there’s smoke, there’s an autonomous vehicle blocking a fire](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1254896453-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-AutoSF_20230824221640.webp) ### Where there’s smoke, there’s an autonomous vehicle blocking a fire - ![$750m reasons we’re getting ever closer to flying cars becoming a reality](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/512068061-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-alef_20230807231323.webp) ### $750m reasons we’re getting ever closer to flying cars becoming a reality - ![Can’t Airbnb the house? How ’bout the car, its roof, its headrest, your parking spot…](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/12072326-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Turo_20230727215300.webp) ### Can’t Airbnb the house? How ’bout the car, its roof, its headrest, your parking spot… - ![Your next driverless car trip may, aptly, be quite trippy](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/764282512-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-halo_20230709230118.webp) ### Your next driverless car trip may, aptly, be quite trippy - ![What’s Sergey Brin been up to? Look up and you’ll soon find out](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/155368817-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-airships_20230612225640.webp) ### What’s Sergey Brin been up to? Look up and you’ll soon find out - ![NYC gets closer to its toll goals](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/551481802-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-manhattan-toll_20230611222000.webp) ### NYC gets closer to its toll goals - ![Stretch limos are going, going, going, gone](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1148550903-final_size-limo_20230504005308.webp) ### Stretch limos are going, going, going, gone - ![A scooter company is… profitable?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1401350206-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-22T001030.797Z.webp) ### A scooter company is… profitable? - ![San Francisco has some thoughts on its robotaxi takeover](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/717524212-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-01T021208.298Z.webp) ### San Francisco has some thoughts on its robotaxi takeover Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. 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