General Motors and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have said they would continue talks aimed at securing a new, multi-year US labour deal today (30 September) as the strike entered its third week.
UAW members at GM’s US factories struck on 16 September, demanding higher pay, greater job security, a bigger share of the profits and protection of their healthcare benefits, Reuters reported.
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The UAW had approved the occasional use of temporary workers by US automakers during the last contract talks with the Detroit Three in 2015 when the two sides agreed to gradually phase out the existing two-tier wage structure agreed to after Chrysler and GM entered bankruptcy protection following the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.
“Negotiations will resume first thing Monday morning and we will continue to look for solutions to reach an agreement,” the UAW, representing 48,000 striking GM hourly workers, told the news agency.
GM added it would continue the talks aimed at reaching an agreement that “builds a stronger future for its employees and business”.
The strike was the first nationwide GM walkout since a two-day stoppage in 2007, Reuters noted.
The report added the UAW had been careful about striking to gain leverage in its bargaining since a 54-day walkout that occurred in Flint, Michigan, in 1998 that cost GM more than US$2bn and accelerated the loss of UAW-GM jobs.
