April 26 (Reuters) - Daimler Truck must reach

a new labor contract with over 7,300 hourly workers at six

facilities in the U.S. South by the end of Friday or face a

possible strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union members.

The workers are seeking higher pay, institution of

cost-of-living adjustments and greater job security from the

heavy-truck maker, UAW President Shawn Fain said during an

online speech earlier this week.

"Workers' wages at Daimler have not kept up," he said on

Tuesday. "The workers are going to come for their fair share. In

the new UAW, we don't take concessions. We raise standards for

everyone and we fight for what we deserve, and we're not afraid

to strike to get it."

Fain is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10 pm ET,

ahead of a midnight ET strike deadline, during which he is

expected to outline whether a strike will occur.

The UAW, under Fain, has been aggressive in seeking large

raises and other concessions from companies for its members.

Last fall, UAW secured large payouts, including 25% pay raises

over the life of the new deals, at the Detroit Three automakers

- General Motors ( GM ), Ford and Stellantis ( STLA ).

At Daimler Truck, which makes Freightliner and Western Star

trucks and Thomas Built buses, about 96% of workers at four

factories in North Carolina, and parts warehouses in Georgia and

Tennessee voted in March to authorize a strike.

The union has filed unfair labor practice charges with the

U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the company,

citing violation of workers' rights and federal labor laws, and

for failing to bargain in good faith.

Daimler Truck did not respond to a Reuters' request for a

comment on the matter.

Since the deals last fall with the Detroit Three, the UAW

has turned its efforts to organizing non-union U.S. plants of

more than a dozen automakers.

The UAW clinched a historic victory at a Volkswagen

plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee last week, and

workers at a Mercedes factory in Vance, Alabama, are

going to vote on whether to join the labor union during the week

of May 13.