Labor

Auto Union Members’ Strike Against General Motors Rolls Into Second Week

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A strike by 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers union against General Motors continues for the second week, and it’s unclear when it will come to a stop.

The strike entered its eighth day Monday despite weekend-long bargaining discussions that reached no conclusion, according to The Associated Press. Members of the United Auto Workers union demand fair wages, job security, and affordable health care from General Motors after the UAW’s contract with GM expired Sept. 16.

Entry-level assembly workers are paid about $20 an hour, but the union members demand that number increase to $30 within the next three to four years, as opposed to eight years it usually takes for a raise.

The strike has led GM to close two Canadian factories and could cause GM to close down more in Mexico and Canada if the strike continues longer, the AP reported.

Consumers and workers will begin to see changes within the coming week — there are expected to be fewer cars on dealers’ lots, and workers will begin to feel the stress of living off their $250-per-week strike pay checks, according to the AP.