UAW Members Strike Nationwide For Job Security

About 73,000 United Auto Workers (UAW) members at General Motors (GM) plants across the country went on strike today after an 11 a.m. deadline passed. Negotiations continued through the day as workers walked the picket lines. The number one issue is job security.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said in a statement last night:

"We’re shocked and disappointed that General Motors has failed to recognize and appreciate what our membership has contributed during the past four years. Since 2003, our members have made extraordinary efforts every time the company came to us with a problem: the corporate restructuring, the attrition plan, the Delphi bankruptcy, the 2005 health care agreement. In every case our members went the extra mile to find reasonable solutions.

Throughout this time period, it has been the dedication of UAW members that has helped GM set new standards for safety, quality and productivity in their manufacturing facilities. And in this current round of bargaining, we did everything possible to negotiate a new contract, including an unprecedented agreement to stay at the bargaining table nine days past the expiration of the previous agreement."

This is the first nationwide strike during auto contract negotiations since 1976. We'll post updates as we learn more.

Comments (2) «

I heard on a news program this morning that one of the reasons the autoworkers were striking was a demand by workers that company manufacturing plants remain in the United States. This is a very essential issue for not just autoworkers, but for other workers and U.S. citizens as well.

In my view, as Democrats we should support the striking autoworkers because the strikers are speaking out to retain our nation's manufacturing capabilities. This is something that many U.S. politicians have been unwilling to consider essential in the past. If all our manufacturing plants are relocated overseas, the economy in this country-- and our sovereignty as a nation-- ultimately suffers.

1

sigridsmommy on September 24, 2007 at 06:07 PM

In my view, as Democrats we should support the striking autoworkers because the strikers are speaking out to retain our nation's manufacturing capabilities.

This is precisely the issue, and it's one the Democratic Party must swiftly pounce upon. There are two simple reasons:

1. Good jobs help make our economy and our nation stronger. This is so simple it's ridiculous. Use it.

2. The United States must retain a powerful manufacturing capacity Who's going to make all those supernifty gee-whiz weapons if we are attacked by a powerful enemy? Are we going to outsource them to China? What if that powerful enemy IS China??

2

Spiff on September 24, 2007 at 11:02 PM

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