Updated 10-16-19
Approximately 48,000 United Auto Workers went on strike against General Motors at Midnight on September, 16, 2019 impacting more than 50 sites across the United States. Contract talks opened on July 16, 2019 to negotiate a new 4-year collective bargaining agreement.
The information below is a roundup of information as reported by various news sources, General Motors and the United Autoworkers regarding the ongoing strike. This information will be updated periodically as the strike continues. Additional information from GM about negotiations can be found on buildingastrongerfuture.gm.com.
If your company is preparing to negotiate with the UAW and you're concerned about a potential strike, you can find more information about strike avoidance and strike contingency planning here.
General Motors issues statement regarding GM-UAW contract negotiations
"We continue to work hard on solutions to some very difficult challenges. We are prepared to negotiate around the clock because there are thousands of GM families and their communities – and many thousands more at our dealerships and suppliers – counting on us for their livelihood. Our goal remains on building a strong future for our employees and our business."
Source: BuildingAStrongFuture.GM.com, Sept 14, 2019
UAW Issues News Release
Prior to the strike, The United Auto Workers issued a news release stating that GM was refusing to give an inch to help hard-working middle-class families. UAW to GM:
"We stood up for you, now we stand up for us"
Source: UAW News Release, Sept. 15, 2019
UAW-GM Strike Timeline Summary
- 07/16/19 : Contract talks to negotiate a new 4-year collective bargaining agreement between General Motors and the United Autoworkers open
- 09-16-19: At 12:01 am the United Auto Workers go on strike halting 31 GM factories, 21 other facilities across 9 states
- 09-17-19: GM stops paying for health insurance; shifts 49,000 UAW members who went on strike to union-paid COBRA to continue their health benefits.
- 09-17-19: GM reinstates health insurance for strike workers; states employee confusion over coverage as concerning according to interviews with workers and other media reports
- 09-20-19: UAW member receive their last check from GM
- 09-23-19: Biden, Warren join UAW picket line
- 09-30-19: UAW members start receiving "strike pay" of $250 per week; starting wage for hourly assembly workers ranges between $640 to $1,200 a week, before taxes and any overtime pay.
- 10-06-19: UAW rejects latest offer from GM; UAW Vice President Terry Dittes emails Scott Sandefur, Vice President, GMNA Labor regarding rejected proposal
- 10-08-19: GM makes confidential offer to the United Auto Workers on Monday morning; it was unknown on Tuesday morning whether the union had responded
- 10-09-19: CEO, Mary Barra, allegedly called secret meeting with UAW to end the strike, according to the New York Post.
- 10-11-19: GM tells workers it's time for the strike to end. See the letter from Gerald Johnson, EVP Global Manufacturing here.
- 10-13-19: UAW members begin receiving $275 per week in strike pay, up from $250 when the strike started
- 10-16-19: GM, UAW agree on tentative labor contract | Source: CNBC
GM-UAW Strike Day 1
September 16, 2019
- GM Issues Statement on UAW Negotiations “Negotiations have resumed. Our goal remains to reach an agreement that builds a stronger future for our employees and our business” | Source: GM Press Release
- The United Auto Workers strike nationwide shutting down 33 manufacturing plants in nine states across the U.S. along with 22 parts distribution warehouses | Source: CBS News
- Why nearly 50,000 GM Union workers went on strike | Source: Fortune
- UAW Workers on Strike At General Motors | Source: NPR
GM-UAW Strike Enters Second Week
September 23, 2019
- UAW Workers begin to prepare for long strike | Source: Detroit Free Press
- GM Strike leads to layoffs at the supplier facilities: Source | CBS News
- Some UAW leaders prepare for a long strike as negotiations continue with GM: USA Today
- Biden, Warren join UAW picket line as strike against GM enters second week Source: CNBC
GM-UAW Strike Enters Third Week
September 30, 2019
- Who's losing the most from the UAW strike at GM? | Source: Detroit Free Press
- UAW strikers get first strike pay as negotiators strive to get a deal | Source: Detroit Free Press
- GM strike, day 15: Temps a sticking point as negotiations continue | Source: The Detroit News
- Strike Pay kicks in at $250 a week for GM's UAW Workers as work stoppage hits home | Source: CNBC
GM-UAW Strike Enters Fourth Week
October 07, 2019
- UAW Vice President, Terry Dittes Email to Scott Sandefur, VP, GMNA Labor Relations Regarding the rejection of the package proposal | Source: UAW News
- GM Strike, day 22: Talks resume after tumultuous weekend | Source: The Detroit News
- Talks to end GM strike take a turn for the worse | Source: Charlotte Business Journal
- As UAW GM strike takes its toll, workers vow they're more committed than ever | Source: Detroit Free Press
- Move to close training center emerges in midst of GM-UAW contract talks | Source: Detroit Free Press
- UAW Strike Against General Motors Enters Its 4th Week | Source: NPR
GM-UAW Strike Enters Fifth Week
October 14, 2019
- GM deal with UAW on health care costs may help end strike, hurt Ford | Source: Detroit Free Press
- Day 29 of UAW-GM strike: Union waiting for automaker's response to counteroffer | Source: Click on Detroit
- Taking a drive with an auto worker on the General Motors picket line in Flint, Michigan | Source ABC News
GM-UAW Strike: Impact On Suppliers
Supplier Layoffs
With 48,000 United Auto Workers on strike at General Motors, the impact goes beyond the company and its union -- it's now rippling throughout the automotive supply chain. Tier 1 suppliers feel the immediate impact, but sub-tier suppliers will feel the effects as well.
Joseph Spak, of RBC Capital Markets has estimated that the GM strike is costing Axle and Lear Corp $2 million dollars per day, and it's costing Tenneco $1 million daily.
Supplier layoffs reported in the news include the following:
⚠️ American Axle & Manufacturing has laid off workers at its Three Rivers facility which is its largest driveline plant in the U.S.
⚠️ Lear Corporation's Flint plant has been idled since the strike began, affecting about 600 workers.
⚠️ Cooper Standard has stated that it "..will adjust staffing accordingly at its North America facilities that supply GM's U.S. assembly plants."
⚠️ Magna International has stated "Where necessary, other plants have implemented short-term temporary layoffs on GM-specific programs and lines."
⚠️ Universal Dedicated Logistics, a company that sequences parts for Flint Assembly, has laid off 300 employees
⚠️ Andriod Industries which assembles center consoles for the plant, has laid off 200 to 400 workers
⚠️ Nexteer Automotive laid off an unspecified number of employees last week because GM didn't need Nexteer parts for its trucks.
Temporary layoffs may open the door for workers to find gainful employment elsewhere which won't be difficult in this labor market. For companies that do not treat their workers well, hiring workers back again may be a challenge.
Given the challenges manufacturers are having in this labor market building talent pipelines of production workers, proactively preparing contingency plans for staff shortages is something that should be considered.
---
Lengthening UAW-GM strikes weighs on suppliers, sparking layoffs | Source: The Detroit News, Sept. 24, 2019
1200 supplier layoffs in Mid-Michigan due to GM-UAW strike | Source NBC 25 News, Sept. 26, 2019
Suppliers feeling impact of UAW-GM strike as talks continue | Source: Plastics News, Oct 01, 2019
GM strike ripples across economy, raising new recession fears | Source: Chicago Business October 07, 2019
American Axle employees: Plant experiencing massive layoffs due to UAW strike | Source: 3 WWMT West Michigan News
Comments
Currently, there are no comments. Be the first to post one!