Rupert Murdoch stepping down as chairman from Fox, News Corp.

Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corp., Fox has announced.

His son, Lachlan Murdoch, will become the chair of News Corp. and continue as executive chair and chief executive officer of Fox Corporation.

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Exclusive: Oscar Mayer reintroduces Wienermobile to the road

Oscar Mayer

(NEW YORK) — Nostalgia wins in the court of cars and cold cuts.

After the iconic hot dog on wheels for Oscar Mayer was rebranded as the Frankmobile earlier this summer — specifically to celebrate its all-beef frankfurter recipe — the American food manufacturer is reverting back to its original namesake glory: the Wienermobile.

Oscar Mayer announced exclusively with ABC News’ Good Morning America on Wednesday that the 27-foot-long hot dog-shaped vehicle will resume road operations under its original designation that first debuted on the streets of Chicago in 1936 and emphasized the unique automobile brings with it, “a lot of connection” because “everybody loves the Wienermobile.”

“We had never changed the name of the Wienermobile before and to celebrate our new 100% beef franks we were all on board in doing that, but we missed the name internally and we’re excited to bring it back,” Edwin Roland, who sits at “Wienermobile headquarters” outside of Madison, Wisconsin, told GMA. “It didn’t cut the mustard — it’s the same mission but it’s comin’ back to Wienermobile.”

Roland has been behind the wheel of Kraft Heinz’s Wienerbmobile program for 20 years and said a day in the life as a hot-dogger — the drivers and ambassadors he trains for the open road — can be “very different” as the six drivers at the helm of half a dozen dog mobiles span fairs, festivals and parades at over 1,200 events per year “bringing the big dog across the country.”

“The words I hear most often are ‘I remember when’ — it just brings back a lot of nostalgia,” Roland said of the clientele climbing up the silver steps of the former Frankmobile.

“The mission never changed,” he emphasized. “Our team was out there just bring smiles to everybody.”

Kelsey Rice, the associate director for Oscar Mayer, hailed it as a “franktastic summer,” but admitted, “like many of you, we miss our original icon — the Wienermobile.”

In his decades overseeing the fleet of frankfurters, Roland said his favorite moment as part of the program — which has spanned the globe and come into close quarters with celebrities — was visiting a remote town in Whittier, Alaska.

“It was such a fun experience to see this brightly colored hot dog on wheels driving into this remote location that’s full of snow — the people loved it. It was such a neat experience,” Roland told GMA.

But in all of Roland’s experience, whether at the wheel or training the next generation of hot dog drivers set to become consumer-facing frontpersons for the brand, he said the “entire mission is to bring joy to people.”

“It’s just to spark smiles and to go out there and have fun,” he said. “You’re creating new and positive ‘I remember whens,’ and that’s what it’s all about.”

The fleet of hot-doggers has included Harvard graduates to marketing mavens and advertising authorities alike. Roland said the drivers who apply and train for the cross-country gig have come from a wide-ranging pool of accomplished candidates looking to add their stories to the brand’s continually evolving lineage.

While Roland considers himself more of a tried and true fan of Oscar Mayer’s hardwood smoked bacon for breakfast and BLT sandwiches, he remained steadfast in his adoration of “the provocateur of joy” that has evolved as the Wienermobile over the years.

“It’s neat to see how this old-school idea can continue to morph and be successful no matter what the environment is,” he said, nodding to the graduation from the use of an atlas to navigation apps.

“We’ll be looking for our next team of hot-doggers, open casting call, coming January — it’s a one-year assignment,” Roland added, noting that “statistically it’s easier to get into an Ivy League school than it is to be a hot-dogger.”

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Kraft recalling American cheese slices due to possible choking hazard

Kraft Heinz

(NEW YORK) — Food company Kraft Heinz has issued a voluntary recall after nearly 84,000 slices of processed individually-wrapped American cheese were deemed to potentially contain choking hazards.

“The voluntary recall comes as a precaution after a temporary issue developed on one of our wrapping machines, making it possible that a thin strip of the individual film may remain on the slice after the wrapper has been removed,” Kraft Heinz said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon. “If the film sticks to the slice and is not removed, it could be unpleasant and potentially cause a gagging or choking hazard.”

No other Kraft products are affected by the company’s voluntary recall.

The issue was discovered after Kraft Heinz received several complaints from consumers saying they found “plastic stuck to a slice, including six complaints of consumers saying they choked or gagged in connection with the issue,” Kraft said in their statement.

No injuries or serious health issues have been reported.

Kraft Heinz confirmed that they have now fixed the machine that wrapped the affected slices and thoroughly inspected all other processing machines to ensure the contamination does not happen again.

Only Kraft Singles American processed cheese slices with the case/package information listed here are affected. No other varieties or sizes are included in the recall.

“Kraft Heinz is committed to upholding the highest safety and quality standards and apologizes for this inconvenience,” Kraft said in their apology announcing the recall.

Kraft said that consumers who purchased these products should not consume them and can return them to where they were purchased for an exchange or refund.

Consumers can also contact Kraft Heinz from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST on Monday through Friday at 1-800-280-8252 to see if a product is part of the recall and receive reimbursement.

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Detroit Auto Show underway amid historic UAW strike

Mike Dobuski/ABC News

(DETROIT) — The Detroit Auto Show is underway this week, against the backdrop of an historic strike effort from unionized auto workers.

Almost every year since 1907, Detroit has played host to a trade show that attracts executives, celebrities, politicians, journalists, and everyday enthusiasts from around the car world, all of whom descend on the city’s Huntington Place convention center to check out the latest the automotive industry has to offer. At this year’s show, Ford pulled the wraps off an updated F-150 pickup truck, and GMC showed off a new Acadia SUV.

Last year, Ford’s latest Mustang made its debut at the show, and President Biden was one of several high-profile attendees.

While other cities regularly host big auto shows, experts say Detroit has long been the most influential in the American car industry.

“It was the biggest, it had the most people, it had just the most excitement,” Jessica Caldwell, Director of Insights at Edmunds, says of past Detroit Auto Shows.

But this year, the event is confronting a UAW strike that has sent shockwaves through the automotive industry.

For the first time in its history, union auto workers are striking all “Big Three” American automakers simultaneously. The strike could see up to 146,000 unionized auto workers walk off the job at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. And for a show that’s estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the local economy, it comes at a critical moment.

Caldwell says the strike will likely have an impact on attendance at the 2023 Detroit Auto Show, especially considering the city’s close ties to the auto industry.

“Here in Detroit, [most people] know the intricacies of the auto industry and realize what some of the issues are with these workers – perhaps even know someone in the auto industry themselves.”

UAW workers are striking for increased wages and the restoration of certain benefits. They argue their proposals are fair given the profits Big Three automakers have seen in recent years, and are proportional to the wage and benefit increases the executives at their respective companies have seen. The automakers have argued they need that money to aid the transition to electric vehicles, and to be competitive against carmakers that don’t have unionized workforces.

“Strikes are generally not happy events and auto shows are happy events.” says Caldwell, “So it is kind of a push-pull here.”

The UAW strike isn’t the only challenge the Detroit Auto Show is facing.

“The Detroit Auto Show is still reeling and trying to recover from the pandemic,” says Mike Martinez, a reporter with Automotive News.

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to cancel the 2020 and 2021 iterations of the show, the event returned in 2022 with a new, smaller footprint that added outdoor activities. That shows failed to attract crowds seen at earlier Detroit Auto Shows. Thad Szott, the President of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, estimated that the 2022 show drew in between 300,000 and 500,000 attendees. That’s a far cry from the nearly 775,000 people it attracted in 2019.

Regardless, the updated format is in place again for 2023. Ford, this year, unveiled the latest F-150 outdoors at the nearby Hart Plaza. The event featured live music, food trucks, and a lineup of antique Ford pickup trucks.

“It’s smaller scale than it used to be,” says Martinez. “So it’s still trying to gain some publicity and draw in attendees, draw in media.”

Jessica Caldwell says the show’s smaller stature was evident even during the media preview days, which made the event feel “almost like a regional show.”

“We’re really only seeing news from the Detroit automakers: from Ford, from General Motors, from Stellantis,” says Caldwell.

“Normally you would see news from, you know, maybe a Honda or a Hyundai … we’re not seeing that this year,” says Caldwell.

In addition to Ford’s updated F-150 and GMC’s new Acadia, Cadillac unveiled a facelifted CT5 sedan, and Jeep similarly refreshed its Gladiator pickup. Most of the announcements are considered subtle updates to existing products. No foreign automakers debuted new vehicles at the show.

In an emailed statement, Rod Alberts, the Executive Director of the Detroit Auto Show, told ABC News his organization is “invested in and wholeheartedly support[s] the auto industry.”

“At the Detroit Auto Show, we’re focused on public days and creating an amazing and unique show experience for attendees that demonstrates our unwavering commitment to Detroit and our love of cars,” Alberts says.

General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis declined to comment on the strike’s impact on the Detroit Auto Show.

Caldwell says the Detroit Auto Show’s shrinking role is part of a larger trend in the car industry, which has seen automakers scale back appearances at trade shows in favor of highly-produced events that are live streamed online.

“All auto shows have changed to be much quieter affairs,” says Caldwell. “Automakers … they do their big reveals in their own spaces, on their own time. A lot of times over social media, so that has really changed things.”

Ford, in 2020, unveiled the new Bronco online. Nissan hosted a similar online event for the launch of the latest “Z” sports car the following year.

Even still, some UAW members are finding the Detroit Auto Show beneficial to their cause, even at its reduced scale.

“We’re getting visibility because of the auto show,” says Kenneth Bland, a BlueCross BlueShield employee who is represented by the UAW and also on strike in Detroit.

“I like autos, I love cars,” he says.

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Fed leaves interest rates unchanged amid optimism US can avert recession

Bloomberg Creative/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, pausing an aggressive inflation fight amid growing optimism that the United States can achieve normal price levels without falling into a recession.

The central bank expects to raise rates one more time this year, according to projections included alongside a statement on Wednesday from the Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, the Fed’s decision-making body on interest rates. Interest rates will begin to come down next year, the projections said.

The projections also reflected a sunnier outlook for U.S. economic performance, setting expectations for economic growth next year at 2.1%. In June, the FOMC had predicted that the economy would grow just 1% in 2024.

Meanwhile, inflation stands well below its peak last year of over 9%, but remains more than a percentage point higher than the Federal Reserve’s target rate.

“Given how far we have come, we’re in a position to proceed carefully as we assess the incoming data and the evolving outlook and risks,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

Even so, the Fed remains far from achieving its target inflation rate of 2%, Powell added. “The process of getting inflation sustainably down to 2% has a long way to go,” Powell said.

The decision to hold interest rates steady affords policymakers time to weigh their next move as a rapid series of previous rate hikes takes full effect.

“The Fed wants to get more information to calibrate when exactly they want to stop raising rates,” William English, a professor of finance at Yale University and a former Fed official, told ABC News. “There’s a lot of uncertainty.”

The Fed achieved the cooldown with its most aggressive set of rate hikes in more than two decades, making borrowing costs more expensive for everything from homes to boats in an effort to choke off demand and ease price hikes.

Still, resilient economic performance has elicited a surge of optimism about the possibility that the U.S. can reduce inflation without falling into a recession.

“Economic activity has been stronger than we expected — stronger than just about anybody expected,” Powell said on Wednesday.

In July, Powell said the central bank’s staff had abandoned its forecast of a downturn. Staff at the Fed, in other words, now expect the central bank to achieve a “soft landing.”

In recent months, however, that glide path has run into turbulence.

Inflation has ticked up for two consecutive months, reversing some of the progress made in the effort to bring price increases down to normal levels. Meanwhile, oil prices have soared, threatening to push inflation even higher.

On top of that, a strike launched by thousands of autoworkers on Friday risks choking off the supply of cars and elevating prices, further endangering the inflation fight, economists previously told ABC News.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected the Fed to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged.

While the economy has slowed in recent months, it has appeared to resist the type of dramatic cooldown that would risk a recession.

Hiring held steady in August with the U.S. economy adding 187,000 jobs, despite a sharp downward revision of job growth estimates in June and July lowered those totals by a combined 110,000 jobs, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

The unemployment rate inched up to 3.8% in August but remains near a 50-year low, the data showed.

A major upward revision of government data showed that gross domestic product increased at a 2% annualized rate for a three-month period ending in March — a sizable jump from the previous estimate of 1.3%.

Still, U.S. economic growth over the first three months of this year was slower than the 2.6% growth in the previous quarter. In turn, that performance was down from 3.2% growth in the quarter before that.

An economy demonstrating more strength than expected bodes well for workers seeking to extract higher wages from employers to offset losses incurred by the recent bout of inflation, Andrew Levin, an economics professor at Dartmouth College and a former Fed economist, told ABC News.

But the demand for pay increases could put pressure on companies that may feel the need to charge higher prices as a means of addressing ballooning labor costs. In turn, that dynamic could keep inflation stubbornly high and undercut the positive outlook at the Fed, Levin added.

“The problem here is that if the Fed is too optimistic about a soft landing and the plane doesn’t land, they’re going to have to change course and that could be painful,” Levin said. “These are difficult decisions for the Fed.”

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Fed to decide on rate hike, testing optimism about a ‘soft landing’ as inflation rises again

Bloomberg Creative/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — Upon announcing the Federal Reserve’s latest rate-hike decision in July, Fed Chair Jerome Powell spoke at a lectern in Washington D.C. for 33 minutes before he dropped a bombshell: The central bank’s staff had abandoned its forecast of a recession.

Staff at the Fed, in other words, now expect the central bank to achieve a “soft landing,” an outcome in which the U.S. brings down inflation while avoiding a downturn.

As the Fed stands poised to announce another rate-hike decision on Wednesday, however, that glide path has run into turbulence.

Inflation has ticked up for two consecutive months, reversing some of the progress made in the effort to bring price increases down to normal levels. Meanwhile, oil prices have soared, threatening to push inflation even higher.

On top of that, a strike launched by thousands of autoworkers on Friday risks choking off the supply of cars and elevating prices, further endangering the inflation fight, economists previously told ABC News.

The move made by the central bank on Wednesday will help determine whether price increases resume their slowdown and the economy sails past a recession, or if instead stubbornly high inflation lingers and the risk of a downturn deepens.

Economists surveyed by Blooomberg expect the Fed to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged, affording policymakers time to weigh their next move as a rapid series of previous rate hikes takes full effect.

“The Fed wants to get more information to calibrate when exactly they want to stop raising rates,” William English, a professor of finance at Yale University and a former Fed official, told ABC News. “There’s a lot of uncertainty.”

Across Wall Street and C-suites, observers will closely eye scheduled remarks from Powell on Wednesday for indication about possible additional rate hikes in the coming months or an eventual lowering of rates.

Inflation stands well below its peak last year of over 9% but remains more than a percentage point higher than the Federal Reserve’s target rate.

The Fed achieved the cooldown with its most aggressive set of rate hikes in more than two decades, making borrowing costs more expensive for everything from homes to boats in an effort to choke off demand and ease price hikes.

By slowing the economy, the Fed risks pushing it into a recession.

“If the economy slows a lot it could topple into a recession without the Fed intending it,” English said. “Its control of those things is not very precise.”

While the economy has slowed in recent months, it has proven resilient.

Hiring held steady in August with the U.S. economy adding 187,000 jobs, despite a sharp downward revision of job growth estimates in June and July that lowered those totals by a combined 110,000 jobs, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

The unemployment rate inched up to 3.8% in August but remains near a 50-year low, the data showed.

A major upward revision of government data showed that gross domestic product increased at a 2% annualized rate for a three-month period ending in March — a sizable jump from the previous estimate of 1.3%.

Still, U.S. economic growth over the first three months of this year was slower than the 2.6% growth in the previous quarter. In turn, that performance was down from 3.2% growth in the quarter before that.

An economy demonstrating more strength than expected bodes well for workers seeking to extract higher wages from employers to offset losses incurred by the recent bout of inflation, Andrew Levin, an economics professor at Dartmouth College and a former Fed economist, told ABC News.

But the demand for pay increases could put pressure on companies that may feel the need to charge higher prices as a means of addressing ballooning labor costs. In turn, that dynamic could keep inflation stubbornly high and undercut the positive outlook at the Fed, Levin added.

“The problem here is that if the Fed is too optimistic about a soft landing and the plane doesn’t land, they’re going to have to change course and that could be painful,” Levin said. “These are difficult decisions for the Fed.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Latin-owned businesses to support during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond

BojanMirkovic/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are close to five million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that contribute over $800 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, ABC News’ Good Morning America is spotlighting Latin-owned businesses.

Scroll down to support five Latina and Latino entrepreneurs.

It’s A 10 Haircare

Carolyn Aronson is the founder and CEO of It’s A 10 Haircare.

“Discovering my Puerto Rican heritage unlocked a hidden part of my identity, making me feel at home. The traditions I encountered filled me with joy and influenced my personal beauty style,” Aronson told Good Morning America.

“These unique qualities set me apart and led me to create It’s A 10, a brand that champions inclusion, celebrates beauty’s richness, maintains quality, and supports Latin-owned businesses in our mission to empower the community,” Aronson added.

Pītusa

Founded in 2010 by Clara Lago Rashidian, Pītusa produces apparel with a focus on sustainability.

“Each design is steeped in Peruvian authenticity, a reflection of the vibrant world I’ve come to adore. I also hold commitment to supporting Latin-owned businesses,” Lago Rashidian told GMA. “By choosing my brand and others like it, you’re not only embracing unique Peruvian influences co-designed by Peruvian designers and produced in Peru, but also contributing to the strength and prosperity of our Hispanic and Latin communities.”

Guayakí Yerba Mate

Argentinian entrepreneur Alex Pryor co-founded Guayakí Yerba Mate in 1996 with the goal of bringing yerba mate to more people.

Since then, the caffeinated drink has been spotted in refrigerators all over social media.

NotCo

Founded in Chile, NotCo is a plant-based food tech company.

“As a Chilean native, NotCo’s Latin identity will always be present in everything we do. It is what makes us who we are,” co-founder and CEO Matias Muchnick told GMA.

NotCo’s vegan milk and chocolate milk are both available on Amazon.

Daybird

Daybird is a women-owned brand that combines makeup with skin care.

First-generation Mexicana Whitney McElwain co-founded the brand to rewrite traditional beauty standards.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Walmart, Amazon and Target kick off holiday deals early: Here’s what to know

Nipitpon Singad / EyeEm/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — You can now plan to kick off your holiday shopping as early as October!

Following Amazon’s announcement of Prime Big Deal Days, Walmart and Target have released information on their adjacent sales, all kicking off the week of Oct. 1.

To help make your shopping life easier, we complied everything we know about each sale below:

Walmart

Walmart has announced its Walmart Deals – Holiday Kickoff savings event will offer deals on the bestselling holiday gifts across electronics, home, fashion, toys and more.

When is Walmart Deals – Holiday Kickoff event running?

The shopping extravaganza starts Monday, Oct. 9 with deals running through Thursday, Oct. 12.

Where can customers shop deals?

According to a press release, “Customers can shop the ‘Walmart Deals – Holiday Kickoff’ savings event on walmart.com, where Walmart is making it easier than ever to find the perfect gifts and discover new items with hyper-personalized content and a curated shopping experience that makes the hunt for the perfect item fast and fun.”

Target

This year, Target is bringing back Target Circle Week.

When is Target Circle Week running?

Target’s holiday shopping sale event is happening Oct.1-7.

What deals can you plan to see?

Target will be offering discounts on thousands of items, including trending gifts, seasonal items and everyday essentials. Also, Target Circle members can score up to 40% off in savings on select items.

Amazon

As mentioned, Amazon recently announced its Prime Big Deal Days event.

What is Prime Big Deal Days?

Prime Big Deal Days is a shopping event that will give Prime members exclusive access to deals on Amazon.com across all categories, including fashion, home, kitchen products and more.

When is Prime Big Deal Days?

Amazon announced Monday that Prime Big Deal Days will take place Oct. 10-11.

What should I shop during the event?

Amazon shared that during past sale events, its top-selling categories in the U.S. were home goods, fashion, beauty and Amazon-branded devices. Like Prime Day, products will be broken down into categories such as Top Fashion Deals, Top Creator Picks and more.

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These states are where it will cost you the most and the least to raise kids

Catherine McQueen/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — While the joy of raising a child is priceless, the actual dollars and cents cost of it all is sharply on the rise, a new study shows.

The average cost of raising a child rose nearly 20% in the United States from 2016 to 2021, according to a study released this month by LendingTree, an online loan company.

In 2021, the most recent data available, the average cost of essential expenses for a child — things like child care, clothing and food — totaled $21,681, according to Lending Tree.

Five years earlier, in 2016, that cost was $18,167.

In today’s market, the estimated cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 in the U.S. is $237,482, according to Lending Tree.

The company’s study took into account seven factors when it came to calculating the cost of a child: food, rent, child care, apparel, transportation, health care premiums and tax exemptions.

They did not include non-essential things like sports, after-school classes and other enrichment activities.

In no surprise to many parents, child care remains the biggest driver of rising costs, costing U.S. families $11,752 per year, on average, an increase of 7% from five years ago.

Another sharply rising cost for parents is transportation, which ballooned 276% over the past five years, according to Lending Tree, likely due to the rising cost of gas.

Food and health insurance are also in the top five costs for raising kids, with both also having increased over the past five years.

The most and least expensive places to raise kids

As with most costs, where you live in the United States impacts how much it costs to raise a child.

Mississippi is the least expensive state in which to raise kids, according to Lending Tree, coming in at an average of $15,555 per year.

Two other states in the South — Alabama and Arkansas — follow Mississippi closely in being the cheapest places to parent in the U.S, with an average cost of $16,192 and $16,284, respectively.

Lending Tree noted that the least expensive states to have kids each also had the lowest day care costs for infants, averaging at less than $8,000 per year.

While Hawaii is considered paradise for its beauty and weather, it ranked as the most expensive state to raise a child, at an average cost of $30,506 per year, and a total of $314,529 over 18 years, according to Lending Tree.

Washington, D.C., ranked as the second most expensive place for parents, with an average cost of $30,097 per child per year.

The state of Washington came in third most expensive with an average cost of $28,116 per year, according to Lending Tree.

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UAW president sets Friday deadline for more strike action unless ‘serious progress’ made

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

(DETROIT) — United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said the union’s strike will expand if “serious progress” isn’t made in the contract negotiations with automakers by Friday.

Fain said in a Monday evening update posted on social media that the deadline for greater progress in the union’s talks with Ford, GM and Stellantis is Friday, Sept. 22, at noon.

“That will mark more than a week since our first members walked out. And that will mark more than a week of the ‘big three’ failing to make progress in negotiations toward reaching a deal that does right by our members,” he said in his video message.

“Autoworkers have waited long enough to make things right at the ‘big three.’ We’re not waiting around, and we’re not messing around,” he added.

On Monday, the labor strike against the three largest motor vehicle manufacturers in the United States carried into a fourth day amid ongoing negotiations to reach a deal.

The UAW, which represents nearly 150,000 American autoworkers, launched a strike early Friday against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis — often called the “big three.” Almost 13,000 workers walked out of three auto plants in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. The union is utilizing a “stand-up” strike method to target specific plants and add to the list if a deal isn’t reached.

The UAW held talks with Ford on Saturday, GM on Sunday and planned to meet with Stellantis on Monday, a union source told ABC News. The conversations with Ford were “reasonably productive,” the source said.

Sticking points in negotiations were wage increases and the length of the workweek. The union is demanding a 46% pay increase combined over the four-year duration of a new contract, as well as a 32-hour workweek at 40-hour pay. So far, all three of the Detroit-based companies have each put forward proposals that offered workers a 20% pay increase over the life of the agreement but preserved a 40-hour workweek.

After the unprecedented strike began on Friday, Ford laid off 600 workers who assemble cars at a plant in Michigan. Workers in the paint department at a nearby plant are out on strike, leaving the assembly workers without adequate parts since the parts require paint before they can be put together into cars, a company spokesperson told ABC News.

President Joe Biden said Friday he is deploying acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and White House senior adviser Gene Sperling to Detroit to offer their support for the parties in reaching an agreement.

Economists previously told ABC News that a strike could result in billions of dollars in losses, disruption to the supply chain and other financial consequences.

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