The American automotive sector union UAW announced this Tuesday a new extension of its strike, this time to a large plant of the giant General Motors (GM), alleging that the company's profits justify workers getting "a fair share."
The decision by the United Auto Workers union extends the force measure, which has been in place for almost six weeks, to the GM assembly plant in Arlington, Texas (south), and to 5,000 more workers, after the group reported results higher than the expectations for the third quarter of the year.
It comes a day after an extension of the strike to a large plant of its competitor Stellantis.
Workers demand from the "big three" of the sector in the United States - GM, Ford and Stellantis - salary improvements in line with the financial results of the firms.
– “Record year, record contract” – GM announced on Tuesday that it reported net earnings per share of $2.28 in the third quarter, when the analyst consensus had forecast $1.87. Likewise, net profit fell 7.3% to $3.06 billion year-on-year.
Its turnover increased 5.4% year-on-year to $44.13 billion.
«Another record quarter, another record year. As we have been saying for months: record profits lead to record contracts,” commented Shawn Fain, president of the UAW, quoted in a statement after the results were known.
According to the UAW, the strike movement now reaches "GM's most important and lucrative (plant)."
The manufacturer reacted by pointing out its "disappointment at the escalation of this useless and irresponsible strike" that "affects our employees, who sacrifice their quality of life, and that has a negative collateral effect on our dealers, our suppliers and the communities" that depend on it. of the company's activity.
GM defended its latest offer submitted to the union last week, which the firm said increased "about 25% over already substantial and historic offers."
"It is time to end this process," the company added.
At the close of Wall Street, General Motors lost 2.31% to $28.55, a minimum of the year for the group that did not provide forecasts for 2023 after the strike, with uncertain impact.
– Growing movement -On Monday, 6,800 workers joined the suspension of work at a Stellantis RAM truck factory, “the largest and most lucrative” of the group located in the town of Sterling Heights.
The total membership of the UAW is 146,000, distributed among the "big three" of Detroit, which for the first time face a strike simultaneously. Of that total of unionized workers, more than 45,000 remain on strike.
Eight assembly plants and 38 auto parts distribution centers are affected in 22 states of the country.
The parties negotiate four-year collective agreements, in negotiations that include pensions and measures to adapt income to the changing cost of living.
