In 2008, nearly 1,000 workers at American Axle's plant in Three Rivers, Michigan made a painful choice. To keep their employer alive during the financial crisis, they agreed to have their wages cut nearly in half — from $29 an hour to $14.50. They did it to save jobs, save the company, and keep American manufacturing going.

It worked. American Axle survived. More than survived — over the past decade, the company has generated $8.4 billion in profits. During that same time, CEO David Dauch took home $111 million. The top five executives collected nearly $231 million combined.

The workers who made that possible? They top out at $22 an hour today — still far below where they were before the cuts, and with inflation factored in, their real wages have been cut in half compared to 2008 levels.

On June 1, 2026, those workers — members of UAW (United Auto Workers) Local 2093 — went on strike for the first time in 18 years. Ninety-eight percent of them voted to authorize the action. They're asking for basic fair pay and essential workers' rights.

"It's our time to back what was stolen from us in 2008, when we took massive concessions to save this company," said Josh Jager, UAW Local 2093 bargaining chairman. "We did it to save the company. We more than saved them. We made them billions of dollars. So, tonight, it's about getting our fair share."

These workers make the axles that go into the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado — two of the best-selling trucks in America. The supply chain runs on their labor. The profits are real. The ability to pay a fair wage is there.

We're calling on American Axle & Manufacturing to return to the bargaining table and agree to a contract that reflects what these workers are owed — wages that finally account for 18 years of sacrifice and the billions they helped generate.

Sign this petition to tell American Axle: pay your workers what they've earned.