Union launches strike against US General Motors

24 September 2007 19:31  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--United Auto Workers (UAW) members walked off the job on Monday at US General Motors (GM) plants in the first nationwide strike within the auto industry in 30 years, according to news media reports.

The strike is of interest to the US chemicals and plastics industries as North American vehicles contain an average of about $2,200 (€1,562) in chemicals, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC). Therefore a reduction in US car production could also mean a drop in demand for chemicals.

Each vehicle has an average of 335 lb (152 kg) of polymers, according to the ACC.

UAW leaders said that job security was the key issue in the labour strike, according to news media reports.

The UAW has 73,000 members who work for GM at 82 U.S. facilities, including assembly and parts plants and warehouses.

The company has enough stocks withstand a short strike, according to news media reports.

($1.00 = €0.71)

By: Brian Ford
+1 713 525 2653

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