United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain held another Facebook Live conversation with union members and the public on Wednesday, continuing his fiery language and rhetoric towards the big three automakers as the union awaits updates on the eve of an impending UAW strike.

During the conversation, Fain revealed a new format for UAW strikes, which they are calling "stand-up strikes," in memory of the sit-down strikes their predecessors did throughout the 20th century.

The strikes would see only select local chapters going on strike at first, while others continue to work without a contract - a proposal which drew widespread criticism and dismay among workers from dozens of UAW chapters across the US, concerns that parts supply issues and shortages would result in them being laid off without pay and unable to collect unemployment, as opposed to collecting a $500 per week strike pay from the UAW.

An AP report from Tuesday night said "strikes at individual plants would be far less costly to the union, which would have to pay $500 per week to each of its 146,000 members if it strikes against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford at the same time. In that case, the union’s $825 million strike fund would run dry in just under three months, not including payments by the union for health insurance."

The proposal would also mean that workers at the big three not ordered to strike would be working without a contract, which Fain confirmed during the Wednesday livestream.

That alleged plan drew a wide array of criticism in the comments of the Facebook live chat, even before Fain had officially announced the strike plan.

"The fact we gonna have to work with no contract is crazy," one commenter said. "I don't want to work with no contract, if one walks we all walk," said another.

Others were quick to point out that workers not on strike would likely be laid off as parts shortages forces other plants down the assembly lines into slowdowns or temporary closures.

"Unemployment is an absolute joke. Members will be hurting BIG TIME without everyone going on strike," said one commenter.

Another commenter, in response to another person talking about the $500 per week UAW strike pay, said "Only striking plants get that.... Most of us will be laid off and get nothing!! States are gonna deny the unemployment claims ... They already told [people] that"

Amidst the criticism, Fain took over 30 minutes to reveal the UAW's strike plan, seemingly preempting criticism by saying that the plan was "driven by faith," and "the belief that our plan will get us there."

The proposal, called "stand up strikes" by the UAW, would have only select chapters of the UAW striking across the US, as earlier reports had claimed. However, Fain did not comment on what local chapters will be called to strike first.

Fain says there will be another Facebook Live this Thursday at 10 PM which will announce the UAW chapters being called on to go on strike at 11:59pm that night. 

Fain also says that if negotiations continue to stall, the UAW will announce more and more chapters to go on strike, increasing the striking population at each automaker over time.

Many in the comments continued to criticize the plan, wishing instead that the entirety of the UAW would strike at the same time. In response to those comments, Fain says that "the union is retaining that option," and "continue to entertain that as a possibility."

The "stand-up strike" format, Fain says, allows the UAW more flexibility in dealing with individual automakers as each one brings more or less desirable contracts to the negotiating table. However, it is likely that the decision is more based in the financial viability of a continued strike of all 146,000 UAW members.

21 News reached out to Ford, GM, and Stellantis about negotiations and how long their plants may be able to operate under supply chain constraints spurred by a strike. Ford has not yet responded, but GM and Stellantis provided the following statements:

"We’re still awaiting the UAW’s response to the offer we presented yesterday. Our focus remains on bargaining in good faith to have a tentative agreement on the table before the collective bargaining agreement expires." - Jodi Tinson, Spokeswoman for Stellantis

"We continue to bargain directly and in good faith with the UAW and have presented additional strong offers. We are making progress in key areas that we believe are most important to our represented team members. This includes historic guaranteed annual wage increases, investments in our U.S. manufacturing plants to provide opportunities for all, and shortening the time for in-progression employees to reach maximum wages.” - David Barnas, Spokesman for General Motors

None of the companies provided any comment on how long they expect to be able to continue operating should the UAW initiate strikes higher up in the production chain.

21 News has also reached out to the UAW to inquire on what they expect conditions to be like for workers continuing to work without a contract, and if the UAW has a plan to compensate workers who are laid off as a result of parts shortages. We have yet to hear back. 

Check back to this article for updated information as it becomes available.