UAW President Rory Gamble warned on Wednesday that additional walkouts could happen at any time amid the ongoing strike by about 48,000 United Auto Workers at General Motors.
“We will do whatever it takes to get a fair contract,” Gamble said at a press conference. “This could mean additional strikes at any time, depending on how negotiations progress.”
The strike, now into its fourth week, is the longest in the union’s history. Workers want better wages, job security, a larger share of healthcare and other benefits. GM is offering a mix of pay raises and lump-sum bonuses, but the union says those are not enough.
Spokespersons for the automaker and the UAW could not immediately be reached.
No major breakthroughs in the negotiations have been announced, despite rounds of talks in Detroit and local bargaining sessions. Gamble said he has had contact with GM CEO Mary Barra, who has offered to meet gamblers and other UAW leadership, but the two sides had yet to meet one-on-one.
“We are doing everything we can to come to a fair agreement,” he said. “But workers will not accept a weak contract. We will use all of our resources at our disposal to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
