General Motors employees went on strike nationwide Monday following the expiration of the company’s collective bargaining contract with the United Auto Workers.
The union said they were striking to regain some of the concessions made about a decade ago when the automaker was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The union represents 46,000 workers at 31 plants.
“We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most. Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity for our Members, their families and the communities where we work and live,” said UAW Vice President Terry Dittes. The workers were striking for better wages, more affordable healthcare, job security, and better profit-sharing, among other demands.
GM countered that it made a fair offer that the union refused. “We presented a strong offer that improves wages, benefits and grows U.S. jobs in substantive ways and it is disappointing that the UAW leadership has chosen to strike at midnight tonight,” it said in a statement late Sunday. “We have negotiated in good faith and with a sense of urgency. Our goal remains to build a strong future for our employees and our business.”
Nearly a decade ago the federal government intervened to provide loans to GM and Chrysler to help them stay afloat following the recession of 2008. As part of the effort to preserve the companies, UAW agreed to trim back benefits for members. GM is now the most profitable of the three major automakers, posting an operating profit of $12 billion last year.
