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GM Powertrain On Strike, UAW Workers Set Pickets

Last updated on Monday, September 24, 2007

(BEDFORD) - General motors and the united Auto Workers had a parting of the ways.

Shortly after 11:00AM this morning, the official end of the labor contract between the UAW and GM, GM Powertrain's communications director Joanne Mabrey told WBIW News the strike was on, and workers were walking out.

UAW workers at GM plants nationwide are outside with their red and white signs demonstrating against the lack of agreement between the two parties.

30-year GM Powertrain veteran Carol Jones told us, she saw it coming. UAW Local 440 chief Darrell Thimling told WBIW News, however, says he remains confident in the abilities of negotiators in Detroit. The UAW representative and lead negotiator Jack Woods also told WBIW News, everyone at the plant seems to be remaining positive as to the outcome. Mabrey says GM Powertrain locally will not have any comment on the situation since it is a national strike, but said those who are concerned can see updates at gmmanufacturing.info.

The more than 500 UAW workers at GM Powertrain will remain on the picket lines until further notice. The strike will shut down 59 GM plants nationwide, the last GM strike shut down just a parts plant in Flint, Michigan in 1998, but that was even felt nationwide.

Chrysler and Ford Motor Company plants are unaffected; however, they are next on the list since their national contracts expired at the same time as GM's.

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