SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) who are employed at the General Motors Flint Assembly plant in Flint, Michigan hold signs and react as workers drive out of the plant as they go on strike early on September 16, 2019. (Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images)
'When We Fight, We Win': Protesting Stagnant Wages as GM Rakes in Record Profits, 50,000 Auto Workers Go On Strike
"We are standing together in unity and solidarity for our members, their families, and the communities where we work and live."
Sep 16, 2019
Demanding fair wages, decent healthcare benefits, and their share of General Motors' "record-level profits," nearly 50,000 United Auto members went on strike just before midnight Sunday following failed contract negotiations.
"Today, we stand strong and say with one voice, we are standing up for our members and for the fundamental rights of working class people in this nation," said UAW vice president Terry Dittes ahead of the strike, which will grind to a halt dozens of plants across the U.S.
The national walkout, which comes after the previous collective bargaining agreement expired early Sunday, represents the largest auto strike in more than a decade. According to the New York Times, GM and union leadership are "far apart in the talks" as the corporation is pushing for "employees to pay a greater portion of their healthcare costs" even as it rakes in huge profits.
Pointing to sacrifices workers made to help GM survive in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, including giving up cost-of-living pay increases, Dittes said: "We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most. Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity for our members, their families, and the communities where we work and live."
\u201c49,000 autoworkers across the country, including thousands here in WNY are on strike. We\u2019re outside General Motors in #Tonawanda where the UAW is asking for higher wages, better health care and job security. Tune into #Wakeup for the latest. @news4buffalo\u201d— Gabrielle Mediak (@Gabrielle Mediak) 1568623951
\u201cGM strike is official as @uAW autoworkers cur shift early and take position at 11:59a. at Flint Assembly. \u2066@freep\u2069 \u2066@freepautos\u2069 \u2066@GM\u2069\u201d— Phoebe Wall Howard (@Phoebe Wall Howard) 1568606712
"One of our mottos is, 'When we fight we win,' and we will be fighting now," said UAW Local 774 president J.R. Baker. "Nothing will move 'til we get what we want."
Last November, as Common Dreams reported, GM sparked outrage when it announced plans to close several plants and slash nearly 15,000 jobs after receiving an estimated $514 million from the GOP's tax legislation.
Sunday night, as the strike appeared imminent, 2020 Democratic presidential candidates expressed solidarity with union workers in their fight for decent wages and benefits.
\u201cThe CEO of @GM made nearly $22 million dollars last year\u2014281 times the median GM worker.\n\nI stand with the 46,000 @UAW members who have moved to strike, fighting for affordable health care and fair wages.\n\nGM can afford to do right by them.\n\n#StandWithUS #1U\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1568581583
"Auto workers deserve good wages, comprehensive benefits, and economic security," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). "I stand with UAW as they strike to get what they deserve, and urge GM to come to the table and negotiate in good faith."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who last month unveiled a plan to strengthen worker protections and double union membership, tweeted Sunday that he is "proud to support the UAW workers who are standing up to the greed of GM."
"Our message to GM is a simple one," said Sanders. "End the greed, sit down with the UAW, and work out an agreement that treats your workers with the respect and the dignity they deserve."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Demanding fair wages, decent healthcare benefits, and their share of General Motors' "record-level profits," nearly 50,000 United Auto members went on strike just before midnight Sunday following failed contract negotiations.
"Today, we stand strong and say with one voice, we are standing up for our members and for the fundamental rights of working class people in this nation," said UAW vice president Terry Dittes ahead of the strike, which will grind to a halt dozens of plants across the U.S.
The national walkout, which comes after the previous collective bargaining agreement expired early Sunday, represents the largest auto strike in more than a decade. According to the New York Times, GM and union leadership are "far apart in the talks" as the corporation is pushing for "employees to pay a greater portion of their healthcare costs" even as it rakes in huge profits.
Pointing to sacrifices workers made to help GM survive in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, including giving up cost-of-living pay increases, Dittes said: "We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most. Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity for our members, their families, and the communities where we work and live."
\u201c49,000 autoworkers across the country, including thousands here in WNY are on strike. We\u2019re outside General Motors in #Tonawanda where the UAW is asking for higher wages, better health care and job security. Tune into #Wakeup for the latest. @news4buffalo\u201d— Gabrielle Mediak (@Gabrielle Mediak) 1568623951
\u201cGM strike is official as @uAW autoworkers cur shift early and take position at 11:59a. at Flint Assembly. \u2066@freep\u2069 \u2066@freepautos\u2069 \u2066@GM\u2069\u201d— Phoebe Wall Howard (@Phoebe Wall Howard) 1568606712
"One of our mottos is, 'When we fight we win,' and we will be fighting now," said UAW Local 774 president J.R. Baker. "Nothing will move 'til we get what we want."
Last November, as Common Dreams reported, GM sparked outrage when it announced plans to close several plants and slash nearly 15,000 jobs after receiving an estimated $514 million from the GOP's tax legislation.
Sunday night, as the strike appeared imminent, 2020 Democratic presidential candidates expressed solidarity with union workers in their fight for decent wages and benefits.
\u201cThe CEO of @GM made nearly $22 million dollars last year\u2014281 times the median GM worker.\n\nI stand with the 46,000 @UAW members who have moved to strike, fighting for affordable health care and fair wages.\n\nGM can afford to do right by them.\n\n#StandWithUS #1U\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1568581583
"Auto workers deserve good wages, comprehensive benefits, and economic security," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). "I stand with UAW as they strike to get what they deserve, and urge GM to come to the table and negotiate in good faith."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who last month unveiled a plan to strengthen worker protections and double union membership, tweeted Sunday that he is "proud to support the UAW workers who are standing up to the greed of GM."
"Our message to GM is a simple one," said Sanders. "End the greed, sit down with the UAW, and work out an agreement that treats your workers with the respect and the dignity they deserve."
Demanding fair wages, decent healthcare benefits, and their share of General Motors' "record-level profits," nearly 50,000 United Auto members went on strike just before midnight Sunday following failed contract negotiations.
"Today, we stand strong and say with one voice, we are standing up for our members and for the fundamental rights of working class people in this nation," said UAW vice president Terry Dittes ahead of the strike, which will grind to a halt dozens of plants across the U.S.
The national walkout, which comes after the previous collective bargaining agreement expired early Sunday, represents the largest auto strike in more than a decade. According to the New York Times, GM and union leadership are "far apart in the talks" as the corporation is pushing for "employees to pay a greater portion of their healthcare costs" even as it rakes in huge profits.
Pointing to sacrifices workers made to help GM survive in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, including giving up cost-of-living pay increases, Dittes said: "We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most. Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity for our members, their families, and the communities where we work and live."
\u201c49,000 autoworkers across the country, including thousands here in WNY are on strike. We\u2019re outside General Motors in #Tonawanda where the UAW is asking for higher wages, better health care and job security. Tune into #Wakeup for the latest. @news4buffalo\u201d— Gabrielle Mediak (@Gabrielle Mediak) 1568623951
\u201cGM strike is official as @uAW autoworkers cur shift early and take position at 11:59a. at Flint Assembly. \u2066@freep\u2069 \u2066@freepautos\u2069 \u2066@GM\u2069\u201d— Phoebe Wall Howard (@Phoebe Wall Howard) 1568606712
"One of our mottos is, 'When we fight we win,' and we will be fighting now," said UAW Local 774 president J.R. Baker. "Nothing will move 'til we get what we want."
Last November, as Common Dreams reported, GM sparked outrage when it announced plans to close several plants and slash nearly 15,000 jobs after receiving an estimated $514 million from the GOP's tax legislation.
Sunday night, as the strike appeared imminent, 2020 Democratic presidential candidates expressed solidarity with union workers in their fight for decent wages and benefits.
\u201cThe CEO of @GM made nearly $22 million dollars last year\u2014281 times the median GM worker.\n\nI stand with the 46,000 @UAW members who have moved to strike, fighting for affordable health care and fair wages.\n\nGM can afford to do right by them.\n\n#StandWithUS #1U\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1568581583
"Auto workers deserve good wages, comprehensive benefits, and economic security," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). "I stand with UAW as they strike to get what they deserve, and urge GM to come to the table and negotiate in good faith."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who last month unveiled a plan to strengthen worker protections and double union membership, tweeted Sunday that he is "proud to support the UAW workers who are standing up to the greed of GM."
"Our message to GM is a simple one," said Sanders. "End the greed, sit down with the UAW, and work out an agreement that treats your workers with the respect and the dignity they deserve."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.