Automotive: tens of thousands of GM employees called to strike

Detroit (USA) (AFP)

The powerful US auto union UAW has called 46,000 employees General Motors (GM) to strike on Sunday at midnight to weigh on the negotiations of a new collective agreement, which could be the largest disengagement at GM for more than a decade.

"Union leaders across the country gathered Sunday morning after the General Motors 2015 collective bargaining agreement expires Saturday night, and have chosen to strike at midnight on Sunday," Union United said. Auto Workers (UAW) in a statement.

The strike is likely to interrupt car production across the US number one sector.

GM management regretted that the UAW "has chosen to go on strike tonight", saying it has presented "a solid offer" for the new convention.

The gap remains between union demands and management's proposals on wages, health care benefits, the status of temporary workers and job security, however, said Terry Dittes, vice president of the union. UAW in charge of the negotiations.

Launched in July, negotiations are currently at a standstill.

"UAW members have never wavered in the fight for what is fair and just," said the official after the meeting in Detroit between delegates of local UAW unions.

"We are defending the fundamental rights of working people in this country," said Dittes.

- "Recognize the sacrifices" -

According to the Wall Street Journal, this is the first strike of this magnitude in the company for more than a decade.

The last big call for a strike at General Motors was in 2007 when 73,000 workers from more than 80 factories had stopped working for two days, already in tense wage bargaining.

"Our members have spoken out, we have taken action, and we are not taking this decision lightly," said Ted Krumm, the union leader at the head of the negotiating committee quoted in the statement.

The union is demanding that General Motors "recognize the contributions and sacrifices UAW members within the company have made to create a profitable and healthy industry."

For its part the management defended its positions in a statement: "we have presented a solid offer that substantially improves wages, benefits and job growth in the United States". "It is disappointing that the UAW leaders have chosen to strike at midnight tonight, we have negotiated in good faith and with a sense of urgency," GM says adding "to build a strong future for employees and the company ".

Also negotiating with Ford and Chrysler, the union reached Friday an agreement in these two groups.

This walkout was preceded by a strike slogan of 850 workers in charge of the maintenance of GM factories in Michigan and Ohio on Saturday, also at the call of the UAW.

The strike at ARAmark, a subcontractor managing maintenance at GM's Midwest facilities, was seen as a prelude to a potential walkout of the 46,000 blue-collar workers employed by the automaker.

The profitability of car manufacturers should be affected in the coming months by the saturation of the US market and the weakening of Chinese demand due to the economic slowdown.

To cope with this, GM has launched an austerity package aimed at saving $ 1.1 billion a year by closing factories and cutting jobs in the United States.

In the second quarter, the Detroit giant, saved from bankruptcy in 2009 and led by Mary Barra, recorded an increase in its net profit of 1.2% to $ 2.41 billion on sales slightly down from 36 $ 6.0 billion (-1.9%).

© 2019 AFP