The United Auto Workers national convention opened Monday as the strikes at two General Motors parts plants in Flint, Michigan reduced the automaker's North American output by 95 percent. The strikes by 9,200 workers began June 5 at the Flint Metal Center stamping plant and June 11 at Delphi Flint East, which makes sparkplugs, engine parts and instrument clusters. The walkouts have led to the shutdown or slowdown of production at 24 of GM's 32 North American assembly plants, idling 121,500 workers. Thousands more have been laid off at 100 GM-owned and independent parts plants in the US, Mexico Canada and Singapore.
Indications are that the automaker is willing to take a long strike.
GM management and Wall Street investors are seeking to carry out the cost-cutting measures which have to a great extent already been imposed by GM's US rivals. On Monday, UAW officials hinted there might be further local strikes. Negotiations are taking place at Flint's Buick City plant, which the company has pegged for closure next year, as well as at a brake plant in Dayton, Ohio and a stamping plant in Indianapolis, Indiana. However his speech made clear that the union leadership does not, in principle, oppose the company's cost-cutting drive. Yokich rejected GM's claim that the Flint strike arose from the company's need to become leaner and more competitive.