2019 General Motors strike

2019 General Motors Strike Date September 15th-October 25th Location 50 different locations around the United States Goals Better compensation, job security Methods Strikes, Demonstrations Parties to the civil conflict United Auto Workers General Motors Lead figures Units involved Number 48,000 United Automobile Workers Unknown Casualties and losses Casualties

The 2019 General Motors strike began September 15, 2019, with the walkout of 48,000 United Automobile Workers from some 50 plants in the United States. Demands by workers included increased job security, gateway for temporary workers to become permanent, better pay and retaining healthcare benefits.

Background

This strike constituted the first major labor action in the American automotive industry in a decade. The last strike coordinated by the UAW targeting General Motors occurred in 2007.

Motivations

During the Great Recession and economic uncertainty that followed, unionized automotive workers accepted concessions to allow GM and other companies to recover. Though GM has since received large tax breaks and returned to profitability, worker compensation remained stagnant, and the UAW took umbrage with the company's decisions to shutter American facilities and move some jobs abroad.

Strike

The contract between the UAW and General Motors expired September 14, and the strike began at 11:59pm on Sunday, September 15, 2019. A two day difference between contract expiration and the beginning of a strike is unusually short, but likely motivated by the prolonged negotiations between management and the union. The strike involved 48,000 GM employees.

On September 17, GM stopped providing health insurance to 55,000 union members, forcing the UAW to pay for COBRA.

On September 26, it was announced that GM would start to pay health insurance again to people on strike.

On October 16, It was announced that GM and The UAW agreed on a new labor contract that could end a month-long strike by 48,000 workers. Although the agreement between GM and UAW has not been officially approved, and workers who are still on strike said that they will wait until the deal has been approved completely before they return to their jobs. The new contract was ratified by UAW members on October 25, ending the strike

Impact

An analyst for Credit Suisse estimated GM could lose as much as $50 million each day the strike continues, while other analysts estimated daily losses could be as high as $100 million per day. GM's share of the automobile market has decreased from 30% in the late 1990s to 17% today, meaning the strike will likely have fewer implications for the economy at large when compared to labor actions in the past. The strike was also predicted to possibly lead to impacts on GM factories abroad, which rely on parts produced in American factories closed due to the strike, and on suppliers such as Canada-based Magna International.

At the beginning of the strike, GM had roughly 83 days' worth of inventory available for sale, temporarily insulating its supply chain from the impact of the strike.

Reactions

Teamsters have refused to deliver GM cars during the strike, in solidarity with GM workers.

Members of the Trump administration, including Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro allegedly intervened in negotiations. GM and the White House have both denied Kudlow and Navarro's involvement.

On Saturday September 21, Senator Elizabeth Warren, running at the time for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, joined a UAW picket line in Detroit. Other Democratic contenders for the nomination including Senator Bernie Sanders, former vice-president Joe Biden, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Representative Tim Ryan, also visited picket lines during the strike.