UAW expands strike to General Motors' largest factory, where SUVs including the Chevy Tahoe are made
About 5,000 factory workers for General Motors walked off the job in Texas on Tuesday to join the United Auto Workers strike, impacting a factory that produces some of GM's most profitable vehicles, including the Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Suburban.
The employees at Arlington Assembly left their posts just hours after GM reported third-quarter earnings of more than $3 billion in profit. Revenue during the most recent quarter, which ran from July through September, rose 5.4% to $44.1 billion.
The Arlington Assembly plant also produces the GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
"Despite having made $10 billion in profits in the past nine months, breaking revenue records for another consecutive quarter, and beating Wall Street expectations, GM's latest offer fails to reward UAW members for the profits they've generated," the union said in a statement.
With Arlington workers joining the fray, the UAW said roughly 45,000 members are now on strike across Ford, GM and Stellantis (the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, along with several foreign brands).
GM on Tuesday said it was disappointed that Arlington workers decided to leave, labeling the UAW's action an "unnecessary and irresponsible strike."
"It is harming our team members who are sacrificing their livelihoods and having negative ripple effects on our dealers, suppliers, and the communities that rely on us," the company said.
GM sent a contract offer to the UAW last week that features a 23% wage increase, eliminates the two-tiered wage system at some locations and shrinks the amount of time it takes for a new hire to reach top pay to three years. But offer doesn't restore cost-of-living adjustments or give workers the right to strike over plant closures, according to the union.
GM said its latest offer is "comprehensive" and called on employees to return to work.
The walkout in Arlington marks the second strike expansion this week after nearly 7,000 Stellantis workers walked off the job in Sterling Heights, Michigan.
The UAW strike began last month when thousands of workers left their post when their contract with the automakers expired on September 14. Since then, the companies have laid off thousands of employees, blaming the prolonged work stoppage. GM has laid off about 2,350 employees across Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New York and Ohio due to the strike, according to the company.