HISTORIC UAW Strike: We Need You Now More Than Ever

Status Coup will be ON-THE-GROUND in Detroit & other locations to cover likely strike. The more of you who sign up as paid SC members—the longer we can cover!

Hey folks, it’s Jordan.

At midnight tonight, all signs point to the beginning of what may be a historic strike by United Auto Workers at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. Unless there is a last-minute surprise and a deal is struck, which I doubt at this point, my bags are packed and I’ll be ON-THE-GROUND beginning tomorrow to cover what I believe has the potential to be a major—and long-lasting strike—that will have a domino effect for the rest of the working class and rebuilding of labor unions and power in the United Corporations of America. UAW has already announced a rally tomorrow with Bernie Sanders in Detroit.

This is why I sincerely ask you, if you can, to sign up as a Status Coup member TODAY for $5-10 bucks a month to help us fund ON-THE-GROUND coverage from the picket lines for as long as it we can.

UAW President Shawn Fain announced yesterday the union plans to have a staggered “Stand Up Strike”—meaning they will start with strikes at a few targeted plants while keeping UAW members working at plants certain plants. Their plan is, based on negotiations—and if the car companies continue providing insulting, low-ball contracts—to go on strike at more plants. The idea is to keep the car companies guessing and on the defense having to find replacement workers (scabs) last minute when UAW announces a new plant about to go on strike.

Short and sweet: we’ve been covering the leadup to this strike for weeks (see video below). But we’d like to be ON-THE-GROUND for at least 2 weeks to cover the beginning of the strike. This is important for two reasons: to get these workers’ stories out there to the public and to counter what will surely be a lot of corporate media propaganda about these “unrealistic" and “excessive” worker demands that are hurting the economy.

But this kind of ON-THE-GROUND reporting isn’t cheap. Between flights, hotels, rent-a-car, and food for a cameraman and I, several weeks can cost between $5-8K (in addition to laziness, this is why most other outlets opine from a studio instead of reporting from the trenches). As workers fight back, it is extremely important to have real INDEPENDENT media there to tell their story. $5 a month equals 16 cents a day. $10 dollars a month equals 33 cents a day.

Is independent reporting in the trenches worth it to you? If so SIGN UP AS A MEMBER TODAY.

Remember most people aren’t lacking compassion—most people have no f**king idea what the hell is going on in this country.

-Jordan