Workers at the General Motors Powertrain Baltimore plant were scheduled to return to work for second-shift operations Wednesday afternoon after the United Auto Workers and GM tentatively agreed to a contract to end a two-day strike.
About 360 hourly workers left the White Marsh plant Monday morning after the UAW launched a national strike against GM. All workers were expected to return to work today, with the first shift beginning at 6 a.m., plant spokesman John Raut said.
“Things are much better,” Raut said. “We should resume normal procedure [today].”
The strike was the first nationwide walkout against GM in 37 years. The contract between UAW andGM puts responsibility for retirees? health care into the union?s hands.
GM said in a statement that the deal will make it significantly more competitive and provides “the basis for maintaining and strengthening its core manufacturing base in the United States.”
The UAW?s national negotiating committee and executive board for GM both have unanimously recommended ratification, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said.
The union said the agreement with the nation?s largest automaker was reached shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday. The UAW canceled the strike about an hour later.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this article.
