The United Auto Workers union (UAW) organized a new wave of strike action against Detroit’s Big Three manufacturers: General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler. The action has been spawned by an ongoing dispute between the two sides, who have failed to agree on a new labor contract.
On Monday, the UAW announced where members of the union would walk off the job at both GM and Ford. The chronological mapping of the strike action featured protesters picketing outside of factories in Michigan, New York, and other locations that manufacture and assemble vehicles for both automakers.
At GM, workers took to the streets in Detroit, Flint, Pontiac, Romulus, Orion, and Grand Blanc, as well as the Grand River Plant in Lansing, which produces Buick, the Lansing Delta Township plant which produces crossovers, the Warren Transmission Plant in Warren, and the Flint Assembly Plant.
At Ford, strike action included the Dearborn Truck Plant and Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan, the Buffalo Safetied Picture Stick plant and the Tonawanda Engine plant in New York, and the Chicago Assembly Plant, among others.
The strike action comes as the union is fighting for job security, increased wages, and wage-and-benefit parity between current and newly-hired workers. GM workers voted down a proposed contract by over 73% on Sunday, while Ford workers are expected to vote soon.
UAW leadership insists that the newly-proposed contract better empowers workers, while the Detroit automakers cite rising competition, falling profit margins, and other factors as justification for their recent actions.
With no resolution in sight, the union remains firm in their stance. In a statement, UAW Vice President and Director of the GM Department, Terry Dittes, said “We are standing up for better wages, affordable quality health care, and job security. GM has the ability to provide a collective-bargaining agreement that Unifor has successfully negotiated and now it’s time for GM to do its part.”
Until a satisfactory solution is reached, the strike action is expected to continue. The pressure is on both the union and the Detroit automakers to come to an agreement in order to get workers back on the job, and for a new labor agreement to be passed.