WENTZVILLE, Mo. — As talks between the UAW and big three automakers continued Wednesday, GM announced it would be laying off 2,000 workers at an assembly plant in Kansas due to lack of work.
For the sixth consecutive day, UAW members like James McCann are holding the line outside of the GM Assembly Plant in Wentzville, Missouri.
“This is the last resort,” James McCann said.
As cars continue to pass the picket lines Elizabeth McCray said it’s a subtle reminder that things should’ve never got to this point between the UAW and GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
“Negotiations started months ago and it should’ve been taken care of,” Elizabeth McCray said.
The UAW remained steadfast in its demands for a 40% pay increase, a 32-hour work week, and a fully funded pension for union employees.
“The 2008 contract had a lot of concessions from the union to help the companies become profitable again with the companies saying if you take these concessions now, we’ll give them back to you again when we’re profitable again,” McCann said.
“Those incentives need to come back,” McCray said.
“The big three have been more profitable in the last 10 years than they ever have been,” McCann said.
GM President Mark Reuss is firing back against those claims in a newly published article calling the UAW's demands ‘untenable’ after the automakers offered a 20% increase in pay, an unconditional 6.4% 401K contribution for all employees, and more jobs as they beef up production of electric vehicles.
“Opportunities are here for them to pay us the rightful pay, the rightful benefits, and it needs to be done,” McCray.
“I’m hopeful that we get progress in the right direction,” McCann said.
That’s why members of Local 2250 have vowed to stand outside the gates at the Wentzville GM Assembly Plant until a deal is reached.
“You have to get tough,” McCray said. “If they’re not going to listen actions speak louder than words.”
“They have to understand what we’re willing to do,” McCann said. “We’ll be out here as long as it takes. As long as it takes.”
As negotiations continue, the UAW is threatening strikes at more plants if serious progress isn't made by noon Friday.
At this point, nearly 12,700 UAW members nationwide are already on the picket lines.