So, I have some speculation based on motive.
Mitsubishi pulled out of China today, Toyota (biggest worldwide) forecast from last year was projecting huge dropoff in sales around this time— and with high interest rates, a credit crunch, and the “not a recession,” new cars just aren’t selling.
There’s been a bunch of other news regarding cycling down production, and dealers having issues moving new cars.
So wouldn’t the big 3 in Detroit benefit from shutting the lines down for a couple of weeks to produce a stopgap instead of flooding the dealer lots with unsellable product?
Even if it cost them more in the longrun, they might’ve ran the numbers and thought the publicity from the strike would sell more American cars this year. It’s free press. And companies are shortsighted these days.
Off-topic, but what I noticed about this strike and the Hollywood strike is that nobody gives a shit. They could close these fucking places down and no one would care.
I take that as a reflection that everyone is struggling, and hearing people in huge industries with giant unions backing them bitch and moan about how they're "getting a raw deal" falls on completely deaf ears. Quit your fucking job if it's so bad, then try to get another one. That's what everyone else has to do.
Actually, you don't have to quit because they shut down the place you worked at due to the pandemic / shoplifting / decreased traffic / whatever and you got laid off. And--unlike the supply chain--your bills are still arriving on time and higher than ever.
IDK where it all leads, but They keep turning up the heat and people are starting to feel it's getting a little warm.