A mass strike of auto workers began in the United States

  The US Automobile Union announced a general strike at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler plants. Unfavorable economic conditions, continued high inflation in the United States, and failure to meet union demands made a strike the only remaining option to protect workers' rights. According to Reuters news agency, the United Auto Workers (UAW) trade union today (Friday) announced the start of a general strike of workers at the factories of the three largest automakers General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

The organized strike, which will halt production of models such as the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler and Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck, is the largest strike in the United States in decades. A US auto union leader said an estimated 12,700 workers were involved in the strike. This could cause serious damage to the US auto industry. Although losses from the current strikes have not been quantified, the week-long shutdown of the Jeep plant caused losses of $380 million.