UAW Declares National Strike Against GM

The United Automobile Workers (UAW) labor union declared a national strike against General Motors (GM) after talks of wage and benefit increases came to a standstill, Automotive News reports.

Upwards of 46,000 hourly employees of the Michigan-based auto manufacturer walked off the line late Sunday night with no plans to return to work until a settlement is reached.

Talks are set to take place Monday morning, according to a union spokesperson. The source said that the decision to strike was unanimous amongst the employees.

One of the most important factors motivating the UAW to strike is surrounding healthcare. Currently, GM employees pay 3 to 4 percent of their healthcare costs, which is below the national average of 28 percent. GM’s first contract offer was to have its employees pay for 15 percent of healthcare costs before it was rejected by the union, claiming that it’s not enough.

When speaking with reporters early Monday morning, UAW-GM Vice President Terry Dittes said, “This is our last resort. [The strike] represents great sacrifice and great courage on the part of our members and all of us,” Automotive News reports.

While the two sides seem far apart on any resolution, the strike caught the attention of President Trump, who tweeted the following:

“What we are asking of General Motors is simple and fair,” said Dittes. “We are standing up for fair wages, we are standing up for affordable quality health care, we are standing up for our share of the profits. We are standing up for job security for our members and their families.”

GM has not yet made a public comment beyond the initial offer that was presented to employees. However, that can change over the course of the week as negotiations between the two sides progress.

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