But the article mentions the 8 inch production line is always shorthanded on staff. You would think workers on a line that has shortages of employees would have negotiating power. The article also mentions better circumstances on other lines. The workers on strike also say they’re not even really asking for better circumstances, just to not be treated like parts in a machine.

I think this is a typical case of a bad manager at the top of the 8 inch line, and not of some larger theme of automation leading to worker abuse.