50,000 on strike at General Motors in the United States

UAW hoped that an agreement would have been reached before Saturday night, but when that failed, the staff now embark on a two-day strike.

- We take this seriously. It's our last resort, "UAW Vice President Terry Dittes told the BBC.

The trade union's previous four-year agreement with GM expired this weekend, and the two sides are negotiating, among other things, salaries, healthcare and job security. UAW also wants to stop the closure of car factories in Ohio and Michigan. General Motors believes that the closures are necessary for the market to change.

At the same time, General Motors believes that their salaries and benefits are among the best in the automotive industry. According to themselves, the company should have offered the trade union seven billion in new investments, more jobs and increased benefits.

"We have negotiated in good faith," General Motors said in a statement.

The strike in 2007 is said to have cost the company around $ 300 million.