In 2009, the U.S. government paid $50 billion to bail out Detroit-based automaker General Motors. In the end, the government would end up losing $11.2 billion on the deal.
Government efforts saved 1.5 million jobs in the United States and a sizable portion of an industry that helped define America in the twentieth century.
As part of the auto industry's upheaval in the wake of the Great Recession, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) made sacrifices in contracts to help put the company on a solid footing after the government bailout.
In 2008, union members agreed to pay new hires on a cheaper pay scale with fewer benefits.
The union also made concessions in the labor agreements of 2007, 2011, and 2015.
GM has posted over $70 billion in profits since its IPO in November 2010.
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Over 46,000 UAW workers at 55 facilities across the United States went on strike on Monday, September 16, to fight for wage increases, wage protection for new hires, profit sharing, health care, and prescription drug benefits.
GM strike is official as @uAW autoworkers cur shift early and take position at 11:59a. at Flint Assembly. @freep @freepautos @GM pic.twitter.com/r3omcFbj64
— Phoebe Wall Howard (@phoebesaid) September 16, 2019
Terry Dittes, vice president of the union's General Motors Department, says that GM waited to the last minute to avoid a strike by making a proposal just two hours before the strike was scheduled to begin.
"We are disappointed that the company waited until just two hours before the contract expired to make what we regard as its first serious offer," Dittes wrote. "Had we received this proposal earlier in the process, it may have been possible to reach a tentative agreement and avoid a strike."
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UAW workers are on strike to reclaim the benefits they sacrificed for the company over the past decade.
"Ultimately, we're just trying to get back what we've lost during the last couple of concessionary contracts," Celso Duque, a 22-year GM employee, told Detroit News. "We're trying to secure our future for the younger generations, trying to make sure our retirees still have benefits and that I'm able to retire once I get to that age."
The UAW has received the support of prominent Democratic lawmakers.
I am proud to support the @UAW workers who are standing up to the greed of GM. Our message to GM is a simple one: End the greed, sit down with the UAW and work out an agreement that treats your workers with the respect and the dignity they deserve. https://t.co/nAQoeX82oz
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 15, 2019
A job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about dignity and respect.
Proud to stand with @UAW to demand fair wages and benefits for their members. America's workers deserve better. https://t.co/vdYS3sp4eo
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 15, 2019
I'm proud to stand with the hardworking members of @UAW in their fight for fair wages, health care, and job security. @GM should do right by the workers who fuel its profits. https://t.co/3XF8OswRRn
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) September 16, 2019
Unless a contract is agreed to swiftly, the labor stoppage will hurt both GM and UAW workers financially. Shutting down American production costs GM $400 million a day. UAW works will only receive $250 a week in strike wages.
Currently, the UAW holds $850 million in strike wages.
The UAW's leadership believes it has taken a stance not just for its workers but those across the country as well.
"We are standing up for our members and for the fundamental rights of working-class people of this nation," Dittes said. "Going into the bargaining season, our members have been very clear of what they will and will not accept in this contract."
Over the past decade, the workers of the UAW and taxpayers of the United States have made sacrifices so that GM can stay afloat. Isn't it time it returned the favor by taking care of its workers?
Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
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Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.