UAW escalates strike as thousands more Stellantis workers walk off job
UAW members have been on strike for nearly six weeks, demanding higher wages and better benefits from Stellantis, General Motors and Ford.
LEARN MOREPosted: 11:27 a.m. EDT Oct 24, 2023
For the second straight day, there was a major escalation in the strike against one of Detroit's Big Three automakers.
On Tuesday, more than 5,000 workers at Arlington Assembly in Texas joined the strike, essentially shutting down General Motors' largest plant, the United Auto Workers said in a statement.
The facility is where some of GM's best-selling vehicles are made, including the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban and Cadillac Escalade.
"As we’ve said for months: record profits equal record contracts,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “It’s time GM workers, and the whole working class, get their fair share.”
In response to the strike, GM said it was "disappointed" by the escalation.
"It is harming our team members who are sacrificing their livelihoods and having negative ripple effects on our dealers, suppliers, and the communities that rely on us," the automaker said in a statement.
GM added that it has made "historic offers" of increased pay and benefits that the UAW has not accepted.
The strike at the Arlington plant comes one day after about 7,000 Stellantis workers walked off the job at Sterling Heights Assembly in Michigan. Stellantis said on Tuesday that it was temporarily laying off 500 employees due to the strike.
The UAW said more than 45,000 workers have now joined the strike against Stellantis, General Motors and Ford.
