The United Auto Workers (UAW) strike has continued into its fifth week and is now expanding with the union shutting down yet another Ram plant.
The union announced that it is expanding the nationwide strike to yet another Ram plant. This is the second time that the union has shut down work at a Ram plant, with the other happening three weeks ago.
This brings the total number of plants affected by the strike to 12, with a total of more than 48,000 workers impacted. The strike began on September 15 and has been continuously growing ever since.
The newest union shutdown is at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant near Detroit, Michigan. This is the only plant that makes the popular Ram 1500 pickup truck, and it is the 17th largest employer in the Detroit area.
The strike began when workers failed to reach an agreement with Fiat Chrysler regarding wages, job security, and other issues. The union has accused the company of profiting off of the labor of its workers without giving them a fair wage or benefits.
The union is also calling for the company to drop its demands to close two plants in the U.S. and move all production to Mexico.
The shutdown of the Warren Truck Assembly Plant is expected to impact more than 3,900 workers and last until both sides can reach an agreement.
The strike continues to drag on, and the shutdown of the Warren Truck Assembly Plant may only be the latest example of how the union will use its influence to gain leverage in the negotiations.
The strike is likely to continue until an agreement is reached, as both sides are unwilling to back down from their current demands. The UAW is a powerful union and is not afraid to demonstrate their strength when they feel their workers are being treated unfairly.
Until then, the UAW strike will continue to impact American workers, bring economic disruption to the country, and put further strain on the beleaguered Detroit auto industry.
