DETROIT – United Auto Workers union members walked off the job and began picketing outside of several General Motors plants today after a contract negotiation deadline passed.
The work stoppage represented the first significant contract-related GM labor strike since 1984, when the UAW struck 25 facilities for 13 days.
The UAW called a strike against General Motors today after UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said he was "shocked and disappointed" by GM's positions at the bargaining table.
An official at UAW Local 652 in Lansing, Mich., confirmed the walkout at 11:06 a.m. EDT. The UAW said it set the strike deadline over the "failure of GM to address job security and other mandatory issues of bargaining."
The strike against GM includes about 73,000 UAW-represented employees throughout the United States.
It is the first stoppage against GM since 1998 when a 54-day strike at parts-making operations in Flint, Mich., shut GM production nationally costing the company more than $3 billion.
DETROIT – United Auto Workers union members walked off the job and began picketing outside of several General Motors plants after an 11 a.m. EDT contract negotiation deadline passed.
The work stoppage represented the first significant contract-related GM labor strike since 1984, when the UAW struck 25 facilities for 13 days.
GM has more than 80 production facilities in the U.S. and more than 73,000 workers. A sustained labor stoppage could crimp the company's supply of vehicles for its core U.S. market. While the company now has ample inventory of its key vehicles, it's unclear how long of a strike the company could weather without a major negative impact on its supply.
For the UAW, the strike comes after two months of negotiations with Detroit's auto makers, including Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC. On Sept. 13, the UAW singled out GM as its so-called strike target, meaning the auto maker would be its lead negotiator for the entire Big Three.
In a statement issued early Monday morning before the strike, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said, "We did everything possible to negotiate a new contract, including an unprecedented agreement to stay at the bargaining table nine days past the expiration of the previous agreement."
I hope this goes on for more than a month! It is about time the overpaid bolt installers learn that their jobs have been financed off the back of the domestic industry and their demands are outrageous!
I know GM has no backbone, but this is the time to stuff the unions once and for all!
I wonder which plants/facilities are affected at this point?
GM should take this opportunity to hire replacements and break the union, IMO. I seriously doubt that will happen, but hey, the fight's on, so why not take full advantage.
GM, rid yourself of the union for good, get back to being competitive.
Negotiations will continue just as they have for the last several weeks. And when both sides reach an agreement (the same agreement they probably would have reached without the strike mind you), it'll be over.
It's not nearly as dramatic as most would like to make it out as.
UAW Workers Walk Off the Job
By JOHN D. STOLL and JEFFREY MCCRACKEN
September 24, 2007 11:24 a.m.
"We did everything possible to negotiate a new contract, including an unprecedented agreement to stay at the bargaining table nine days past the expiration of the previous agreement."
I bet the corks are popping in Tokyo right about now. Not because GM is not producing vehicles, but because the probability that the UAW will organize a Japanese factory in the U.S. just dropped by 99.9%. Factory workers down south will see this and say "thanks, but no thanks".
Does the UAW recognize that the automotive market is a global market, and that UAW wages and benefits must be globally competitive or the jobs will continue to fade away? Of course not.
The 1950s and 1960s are over. GM, Ford, and Chrysler will do what it takes to survive, and if that means more assembly overseas, so be it. Remember, GM is owned by its stock holders, not its employees. The employees should be grateful for the opportunity to earn a living for GM.
GM management has the responsibility to ensure that it's doing what it can to keep the company alive for the stock holders. If the UAW prices itself out of existence, blame short-sighted UAW leadership, not the auto company management.
I bet the corks are popping in Tokyo right about now. Not because GM is not producing vehicles, but because the probability that the UAW will organize a Japanese factory in the U.S. just dropped by 99.9%. Factory workers down south will see this and say "thanks, but no thanks".
not really - read Friday articles how GM is the best position from all Big3 to simply move all production out of US into Canade, Mexico, South America, Korea and China - a redical move like this would sufddenly turn the tables on the manufacturing costs and make GM cars cheaprto build than Japanese cars.
"We did everything possible to negotiate a new contract, including an unprecedented agreement to stay at the bargaining table nine days past the expiration of the previous agreement."
Apparently you didn't. I bet Toyota is snickering into it's cupped hands right about now....way to go UAW, greedy sonsabitches. What ever happened to self-sacrifice? To personal responsibility? Don't cave Big Three, don't cave. Someone has to finally stand up to these Gimmes.
I totally and completely don't care if they they never get paid again now.
They are automatically wrong now in my eyes.
I would have liked a concession by them with an agreement with GM that the money saved would be spent on product and product only. Not executive bonuses, not acquiring another company, and not hiring more executive positions.
I think GM can hold out for a couple of months. Those members can't.
I guess now they go on strike everytime they need to renegotiate their contract. They had this stupid woman on the TV today with gold teeth and a neck chain saying that it's hard to raise a family with labor pay, and GM wants them to cut.
Don't cut their pay. Cut the jobs bank!
The UAW needs to let them RIF those people that don't work. Hell, with the money they save they should give the existing workers bonuses. And give them another bonus if their product gets an above average reliability rating in CR.
The fact that there apparently will still be a job bank should be enough to let the UAW walk away from the table and hope they never come back.
GM's stock is down on the news.
Here's a concept for job security, how about a realistic pay/benefits package that ensures GM is still in business to negotiate a new contract 4 years from now?
Makes me want to buy another transplant (or an imported G8).
not really - read Friday articles how GM is the best position from all Big3 to simply move all production out of US into Canade, Mexico, South America, Korea and China - a redical move like this would sufddenly turn the tables on the manufacturing costs and make GM cars cheaprto build than Japanese cars.
Whether or not GM can move production out of the country, I am sure the Japanese are glad that their American factories will not be organized any time soon.
not really - read Friday articles how GM is the best position from all Big3 to simply move all production out of US into Canade, Mexico, South America, Korea and China - a redical move like this would sufddenly turn the tables on the manufacturing costs and make GM cars cheaprto build than Japanese cars.
Great post: the question I have is whether Ford or Chrysler will agree to whatever GM and the union negotiate.
While GM may be in the best position to move production, it seems to me that Chrysler is in the best position to simply adopt the contract manufacturing model and outsource everything save the marketing and distribution.
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