October 25, 2019
Romulus, Mich. — General Motors workers (click here) approve new contract, ending 40-day strike that crippled the automaker’s U.S. production.
Picket lines will end immediately, and skilled trades workers will begin restarting factories that were shuttered when 49,000 workers walked out on Sept. 16. Some production workers could return Friday night.
Earlier reports on Friday said that striking workers at two large GM factories, including one with the most employees in the U.S., approved a new contract with the company, all but assuring the deal would be ratified.
Production workers at GM’s SUV plant in Arlington, Texas, voted 78% in favor, while skilled trades voted 60% for the contract. Arlington is the United Auto Workers union’s largest GM local, representing more than 5,000 people. Vote totals weren’t given. Also, workers at an assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri, near St. Louis approved the deal Friday with 63.5% of production workers and 69.9% of skilled trades in favor.
About 49,000 workers walked off their jobs Sept. 16, halting production at more than 30 U.S. factories and hampering it in Mexico and Canada due to parts shortages. Analysts estimate the strike cost GM more than $2 billion....
