General Motors’ offer came too late to avoid strike, UAW official says
More than 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers went on strike Monday against General Motors, bringing more than 50 factories and parts warehouses to a standstill in the union’s first walkout against the No. 1 U.S. automaker in over a decade.
But union spokesman Brian Rothenberg said the two sides have come to terms on only 2% of the contract. “We’ve got 98% to go,” he said Monday.Wall Street did not like seeing the picketers. GM shares were down 4% in afternoon trading to $37.29. “It’s not right when you’re working next to someone, doing the same job and they’re making a lot more money,” he said. “They should be the making the same as me. They’ve got families to support.”Kane said GM workers gave up pay raises and made other concessions to keep GM afloat during its 2009 trip through bankruptcy protection.
“We are willing to meet as frequently, and for as long as it takes, to reach an agreement that treats our members fairly,” Dittes wrote. The automaker also offered to open an electric vehicle battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio, where it has a huge factory that has already stopped making cars and will be closed. The new factory would be in addition to a proposal to make electric vehicles for a company called Workhorse, the person said.
But the union and company still are far apart on use of temporary workers and accelerating the pay raises for new hires so they reach the top of the union scale faster, she said.
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