(WJW) – United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain declared Friday, October 13, as the beginning of the next phase in their strike effort, emphasizing that he will no longer wait for Friday press conferences to act in expanding their targeted strike.

“We did this for a simple reason: the company’s started to wait till Friday to make substantial progress in bargaining,” Fain said.

Over the past 29 days, selected UAW plants affiliated with Ford, GM, and Stellantis have gone on strike nationwide while the union engages in contract negotiations with all three companies.

While only a few plants in Ohio have been affected thus far, local layoffs have already occurred due to the ongoing strike. Fain is now threatening to expand the strike efforts on short notice.

“We are not messing around. A negotiate requires movement on both ends,” Fain said.

During his Friday update, Fain primarily focused on criticizing one company in particular, Ford, for becoming too complacent in negotiations. In recent days, Fain has called for the immediate halt of production at a lucrative Ford plant in Kentucky. This decision could have a ripple effect on Ford plants in Brook Park and Avon Lake.

The Ford engine plant in Brook Park has already experienced 372 of its members being laid off.