The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is threatening to 'amp' up its strike at the three biggest US automakers
UAW strike is in its third week AFP

The United Auto Workers strike is expanding to two more plants of Ford and General Motors. The total number of workers in the walkout will rise to approximately 25,000.

"Despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM refused to make meaningful progress at the table," UAW President Shawn Fain said in a livestream Friday. No other units of Stellantis will be target as the company made "significant progress," Fain said.

The expansion of the strike will affect the plants of Ford in Chicago and of GM in Lansing, Michigan, involving 7,000 workers.

"We're excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues," Fain said. "To be clear, negotiations haven't broken down. We're still talking with the three companies. And I am still hopeful that we can reach a deal."

The UAW strike started on Sept. 15 at plants of Ford, GM and Stellantis in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio.

President Joe Biden went to Michigan on Tuesday to show support for the walkout, becoming the first sitting American president to join a picket line.

"You saved the automobile industry back in 2008, made a lot of sacrifices, gave up a lot and the companies were in trouble. But now they are doing incredibly well," Biden told General Motors workers on a picket line near Detroit. "You should be doing incredibly well too."

Union leaders are asking for a 36% wage increase over four years, to match the similar recent pay increase for top executives. The UAW's argument is that workers agreed to lower wages at the peak of the auto industry crisis, but salaries have never returned to previous levels, while profits and executive pay have. Automakers have proposed 20% raises over 4 1/2 years.