NPR: UAW Members Start Picketing General Motors

UAW Members Start Picketing General Motors

United Auto Workers members wait at UAW Local 22 for news and their strike assignments Monday in Detroit.

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

The Detroit Free Press reports that United Auto Workers members started picketing General Motors plants in suburban Detroit and Lansing, Mich., after an 11 a.m. deadline passed for the two sides to reach a new labor agreement. The walkout coincided with the lunch break at several plants.

A General Motors spokesman confirmed to The Associated Press that the UAW has called a strike against the company. Spokesman Dan Flores said GM was disappointed that a strike was called.

"The bargaining involves complex, difficult issues that affect the job security of our U.S. work force and the long-term viability of the company. We remain fully committed to working with the UAW to develop solutions together to address the competitive challenges facing GM," Flores said.

The strike, the first against General Motors since 1998, was unexpected. The Chicago Tribune reports it comes "as Asian automakers are grabbing bigger shares of the U.S. market and could be damaging to both sides." GM has cut more than 150,000 UAW jobs since 2005. A prolonged strike would likely lead to plant shutdowns and more layoffs.

12:57 PM ET | 09-24-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Both parties know a prolonged strike may irreversibly damage GM, in which case everyone could be out of a job. Therefore, I don't think the strike will last long. NewsVisual created an interactive Knowledge Map that shows the ties between the UAW and GM http://www.newsvisual.com/newsvisual/2007/09/union-and-execu.html . Hopefully these ties will lead them back to the negotiating table.

Sent by Samir | 6:19 PM ET | 09-25-2007

Send a Comment

Comments are reviewed and edited by NPR prior to display. All comments will be read, but not all will be posted.

NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:	» List of local stations (PDF)
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
May we contact you with information about NPR programming and services? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Tom Regan

Blogger

About Us

This year's election cycle has been one of the most exciting in memory. At the NPR News Blog we'll do our best to bring you interesting, informative -- and controversial -- stories from our own reporters and bloggers, as well as the rest of the best of the Internet and blogosphere. And we hope you'll let us know what you think as well.

Want to learn more? Be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions and our discussion guidelines.