November 2023: The End of the UAW strike is here!

After several months of continous concern, confusion, and growing issues with parts and getting them delievered it seems that the UAW strike has finally come to an end! As of October 30th, a tentitive deal has been secured by all three of the major manufactuers - with Ford, Stellantis, and GM all coming to some form of an agreement. With a higher pay, increased raise caps, and a push against the years needed to get a higher pay cap it appears that the union has gotten a wonderful push towards sustainability going into the future; or at least until 2028.

However, even as the strike comes to an end, there is still some serious concerns of backlog with thousnds of orders needing to be fulfilled. Where as parts are getting easier to come by and the shelves are starting to get stocked up, there is still estimates of weeks until getting some more unique or hard to get pieces. Some more intricate valves or common failures that have thousands of Americans purchasing replacements by the day will see issues pushing into the end of the year. There are even deeper concerns about the wait still pressing into 2024, but it's clear that since November 1st - things have gotten better! At Fullserv, we have noticed this. Where as dealerships still sentiment that the parts are a bit shifty to come by based on availability, the more regular components in day to day activity have returned to normal. This means being able to fix cars faster and more effeciently, at least until the next strike hits.

The ripples of the strike do linger, with manufacturing plans being shifted and a natural fear of consistant government shutdown meaning that the industry may be recovering but only momentarily. Should we find ourselves dealing with another strike for a shutdown, then we'd end up in the same scenario - if not worse! The entire industry is shakey, and unfortunately while the UAW strike has given fuel for the workers fire, the current situation is unsettling for anyone who works within the industry. We are so happy for the union and are glad that they are finally having their working conditions catch up to modern times, but it's time to solidify ourselves into a future where workers and owners can get along and keep the car running into the next year.

What's Fullserv's take?

With the end of the year right around the corner, cold weather is upon us! That means finding time set aside for a check up on your heating and charging systems. With parts availability returning to normal within the start of the new year, now is the time to get in and get these systems checked and make sure that everything has proper life. It's better to pay for the battery, starter, or alternator now than with an added tow bill or an inturruption to your daily life!

Remember to be careful when loading into your vehicles this season as well. Ice and snow can not only cause serious damage to your car and challange the struggling systems, it can also be a threat towards your health with slipping or breaking down in extreme cold. This may seem obvious, but when you're in the moment and suddenly having the only warmth for miles around be your vehicle - it needs to stay reliable!

Keep an eye out for this coming December's blog post as we move into the colder months. We'll look into the industry once again and the weather to better plan for your cars health!

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Thanks as always for reading, and remember to do your own research and follow the sources! It's smart to think smart, espcially if you're going to be traveling over the holiday season between states during the colder nights. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and look forward talking with you right before Christmas.

And don't forget to head over to the DONATIONS page to read about our Holiday Toy Drive to help kids battling cancer!

Ron