The United Auto Workers strike has once again expanded, growing to include General Motors’ largest plant just one day after it spread to a Stellantis manufacturing plant.
A press release from the United Auto Workers (UAW) stated that an additional 5,000 union members joined the strike against the Big Three Automakers, which include General Motors (GM), Stellantis, and Ford.
Production shut down at Arlington Assembly, which the UAW said is GM’s “largest plant and biggest moneymaker.”
The plant manufactures some of the most well-known GM vehicles, including the Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Suburban, Chevy Tahoe, and GMC Yukon.
UAW said in the release that GM has made roughly $10 billion in the past nine months, but the latest contract offer presented by the company allegedly “fails to reward UAW members for the profits they’ve generated.”
According to UAW’s press release, “GM’s offer lags behind Ford, with the company proposing a two-tier wage progression, the weakest 401(k) contribution offer on the table, a deficient [cost of living adjustment], and other shortcomings.”
“Another record quarter, another record year. As we’ve said for months: record profits equal record contracts,” said UAW President Shawn Fain.
“It’s time GM workers, and the whole working class, get their fair share,” he said.
In response to the walkout, GM released a statement saying that it is time to “finish this process, get our team members back to work, and get on with the business of making GM the company that will win and provide great jobs in the U.S. for our people for decades to come.”
“We are disappointed by the escalation of this unnecessary and irresponsible strike. It is harming our team members who are sacrificing their livelihoods and having negative ripple effects on our dealers, suppliers, and the communities that rely on us,” added GM in the statement.
The latest walkout comes just one day after 6,800 members walked out of Stellantis’ Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Michigan, located roughly 30 minutes north of Detroit, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Since the strike began on September 15, more than 45,000 members of the UAW have gone on strike, according to the press release.
Each of the Big Three has responded to the work stoppages and consequent bottlenecks in production and distribution by laying off large numbers of workers. GM has laid off more than 2,000 workers, per The Dallas Express.
Ford laid off 360 workers on Monday and an estimated 3,100 in total since the beginning of the strike.
UAW’s demands include a wage increase of 40%, the inclusion of EV battery workers in the union agreement, and improvements to benefits.
