For the past century, working-class Americans have strived toward the American Dream – the belief that any American citizen, regardless of their background, can achieve economic comfort and success purely through hard work and determination. The motto has been an important piece of America’s reputation, giving hope to any American that it is possible to make something out of nothing. But in recent years, the idea has been fading, leading to increased worker strikes such as through the 2023 United Auto Workers (UAW) strike. Though some may see the UAW strike as a threat to the economy, direct action such as this is the stepping stone we need to sustain the traditional American Dream.

The recent UAW strike has brought the issue of the fading American Dream to the forefront. The conflict began when members of the United Auto Workers union began an organized strike on three separate automotive plants – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis – in the Midwest. The union’s reason for engaging in the large-scale strike was the recent expiration of its contracts with automotive manufacturers, allowing it to argue for better contract terms. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain stated that “these companies have made a quarter of a trillion dollars in the last ten years — $21 billion in the last six months alone — and our workers’ wages and conditions have went backwards” on CBS’ television program “Face the Nation.” While a direct strike at only three plants may seem relatively small against these massive automotive companies, since the industry works on interchangeable parts, the strike has caused many other plants to shut down due to the disruption in the supply chain. As part of the negotiations, the UAW is asking for a 36% pay raise, a 32-hour work system across a four-day work schedule, and more job security due to the decline in the labor market after the rise of electric cars requiring fewer parts.

The strike has been a massive hit to the automotive industry. It is estimated that Ford and GM are losing upwards of $100 million every week the strike goes on, and that number could increase as other automotive factories shut down. But the effects of the strike do not only reach these billion-dollar automotive companies. Local businesses are also hurting. With workers on strike temporarily losing their paychecks, less money will circulate within their local communities and businesses. While the UAW has built up a strike fund of nearly $835 million, this amounts to just $500 a week for each striker, equating to less money in the local economy and extreme budgeting for striking workers and small business owners. The strike also affects the national economy, but this shouldn’t be of much concern to the average American. Though large in size, the automotive industry only retains a fraction of the dominance it once held; therefore, the effects of the strikes likely won’t reach middle-class Americans. Instead, the strike should mostly trouble wealthy, upper-class stockholders, as intended by the UAW strikers. Besides a slight increase in the already rising car prices due to inflation, the UAW strike is expected to have minimal effects on the majority of America.

Would any of this have happened if the ideals of the American Dream were strong in working-class occupations? It’s unlikely. If the working class is not taken into constant consideration, the economy will recede, and the following negative repercussions will spread throughout the whole population. Still, while the issue of retaining the American Dream should always be at the forefront of U.S. economic thought, progress is bound to be slow. With our capitalist economy, we will inevitably be afflicted by constant inflation and recessions because of fluctuations in trade and supply. We can’t change the way the U.S. economy works overnight, and there will always be ups and downs in inflation that outrun the needed wage increases among workers. Thus, the next best option to ensure fairness for the working class is to keep large corporations in check through strikes like these. 

This article was edited by Grace Hur.