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The historic UAW strike has begun. If you are looking for experts to interview for your story, consider these Â鶹ƵµÀUniversity faculty members who are available for interview. You may also quote their comments below.

• , professor of geography and the environment at Â鶹ƵµÀUniversity’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs
• , assistant professor of management at Â鶹ƵµÀUniversity’s Whitman School of Management
• , professor of geography and the environment at Â鶹ƵµÀUniversity’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs

Matthew Huber

He wrote this ahead of the strike: “The UAW potential strike action is ultimately trying to realize one of the Biden Administration’s core policy goals and political selling points: you can have good, family-sustaining union jobs alongside climate action. The problem is the automakers see EV production as a way to trim labor costs and shift production to non-union plants. The UAW’s ultimate proposal is that if it takes less labor to produce EVs, why not shorten working hours and maintain pay with the cost of living? This would certainly lend credence to the Biden Administration’s claim that climate action can improve working and middle class lives.”

If you’d like to schedule an interview with Professor Huber, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

Lynne Vincent

Professor Vincent, recently spoke with and about the auto industry strikes.

Professor Vincent, who specializes in industrial and labor relations, wrote this ahead of the strike: “What I appreciate about their issues is the clear communication of their values and interests. Their concerns are represented well in the range of issues, and, as an outsider, it appears that they are open to achieving their goals in different ways. Underlying their requests is the need for job security, financial security, and work/life balance. Employees working more hours does not always mean more productivity or more efficiency. Organizations should think analytically and creatively about what work arrangements best support all of the stakeholders.”

Tod Rutherford

Professor Rutherford specializes in the area of economic restructuring and labor and the automobile industry. He spoke with on Sept. 18, 2023 about the ongoing labor struggle between the UAW and automakers and remains available for interviews. 

If you’d like to schedule an interview with Professors Vincent or Rutherford, please reach out to Daryl Lovell, assistant director of media relations at dalovell@syr.edu.