Former Ford CEO, Mark Fields, has commented on the rising costs of vehicles, weakened demand, and the potential impact of a union strike on automotive companies. He noted that Tesla recently announced price cuts to its Model X and Model S in the U.S., attributing this to demand issues and the high cost of new vehicles. Fields also discussed the ongoing contract negotiations between automakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW), stating that labor represents around 10% of the cost of vehicles. He suggested that an increase of 20% or less in wages could be manageable for companies selling high-margin pickups and SUVs.