by BlackmansStreet.Today
The United Auto Workers Monday morning went on strike at General Motors, the first labor walkout at the Detroit automaker since 2007.
However, both sides said they resumed negotiations Monday afternoon to end the strike. It is not known how much progress has been made.
Some 46,000 hourly workers hit the picket lines at 55 plants nationwide. The workers want better pay, better medical coverage and a larger share of the $27.5 billion in profits the Detroit-based company has generated over a four-year period since the last UAW contract in 2015.
“We are standing up for fair wages, we are standing up for affordable, quality health care. We are standing up for our share of the profits. We are standing up for job security for our members, said UAW Vice President Terry Dittes.
In a Facebook post, GM said it is offering the UAW $7 billion in investments and more than 5,400 jobs. The manufacturer also said it is offering investments in eight facilities in four states. In addition, GM said it offered the UAW the opportunity to become the first union-represented battery plant in the country.
General Motors has the smallest unionized workforce behind Ford and Chrysler.