A month after some auto workers walked off the job, more than 5,000 Arlington General Motors workers joined the picket line Tuesday morning.
According to the United Auto Workers Union, the Arlington Assembly Plant joined the Stand Up Strike shortly after 9 a.m., shutting down production at GM’s largest plant.
It halted production of the highly profitable SUVs built at the facility, including the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.
"General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, they’re all about money. It’s time to share. We took concessions back in 2007," striking Arlington worker Mike Janik said.
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It came shortly after General Motors announced 3rd quarter profits of more than $3 billion.
J.Carlos Martinez, a Crescent Securities professional and Dallas College Professor, has been watching the strike.
"The advantage has been at least in my opinion with the auto makers because they’re the ones with the deep pockets, and basically a war chest. But as this begins to play out, the auto makers are going to begin to feel the pain, no doubt about it," Martinez said.
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UAW Local 276 President Keith Crowell in Grand Prairie said employees are expanding the strike to the Arlington plant to increase pressure on the company for a contract settlement.
"We just fight for our fair share of the pie. Inflation has left us behind. Greedy CEO's have left us behind. And we just want what's right," Crowell said.
National UAW President Shawn Fain issued a statement responding to the company's earnings.
"Another record quarter, another record year. As we've said for months: record profits equal record contract," the statement said. "It's time GM workers and the whole working class get their fair share."
General Motors issued a statement Tuesday following the Arlington walkout.
"We are disappointed by the escalation of this unnecessary and irresponsible strike," the statement said. "It is harming our team members who are sacrificing their livelihoods and having negative ripple effects on our dealers, suppliers, and the communities that rely on us."
General Motors officials went on to say that last week, the company provided a "comprehensive offer to the UAW that increased the already substantial and historic offers we have made by approximately 25% in total value," adding that it was "time for us to finish this process, get our team members back to work, and get on with the business of making GM the company that will win and provide great jobs in the U.S. for our people for decades to come."
The Arlington action Tuesday follows UAW strike expansion Monday to a Michigan Stellantis plant that produces Ram full-size pickup trucks. Stellantis now produces Chrysler brands.
That work stoppage, which included roughly 6,800 workers at Stellantis' Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, marked the first escalation in the strike in nearly two weeks and the first new work stoppage at Stellantis in over a month.
Shawn Fain, the president of the UAW, announced at the end of September that the union would expand its strike against major automakers by walking out of 38 General Motors and Stellantis facilities in 20 states, including two facilities in North Texas.
Workers at the Stellantis Dallas Parts Distribution Center in Carrollton and the GM Fort Worth Parts Distribution Center in Roanoke walked out on Friday, Sept. 22. At that time, the GM Arlington employees continued working on full-size Tahoes, Suburbans, and Yukons.
Ford was spared from the additional strikes because the company met some of the union's demands during previous negotiations.
Those demands have included a 32-hour work week for 40 hours of pay and a restoration of traditional pension plans for newer workers.
The Dallas College expert said workers argue the change to electric vehicles from gasoline engines may reduce jobs in the future and increase profits at the expense of workers.
"More automation, less employees are needed. There’s a lot of profit margin out there," Martinez said.
As the strike expands, more workers will receive a very small fraction of their normal checks from union strike pay.
"It’s not enough to make ends meet so the workers are paying a significant price here," Martinez said.
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