On Monday, an Unite Auto Workers (UAW) strike began at a Mercedes-Benz supplier in Alabama as the union continues to walkout of Detroit’s Big Three automakers.
The strike is part of the UAW’s broader effort to negotiate a deal with all three automakers—Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler—by the end of the month. The strike comes on the heels of picket line activities last week, when hundreds of UAW workers at Fiat Chrysler were seen protesting their lack of a contract with the company.
At the Mercedes-Benz supplier plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, nearly 40 workers went on strike Monday morning, holding signs and banners that read UAW stands together. The UAW has said that the workers at the Alabama plant, which produces premium auto parts for Mercedes-Benz, are paid nearly 25% less than UAW members working at the Big Three automakers.
The strike also has implications for job security. UAW President Dennis Williams has said that the union will not agree to a contract until the automakers agree to invest in new facilities and jobs in the United States, and shift production from plants in Mexico and other overseas facilities.
It is unclear how long the strike in Alabama will last, but the continued walkout in Detroit has already cost the Big Three automakers millions of dollars in lost production. At this point, there is still no word on whether the UAW and the automakers will be able to reach an agreement by the end of the month.
The UAW strike at the Mercedes-Benz supplier plant in Alabama is just the latest in a series of labor disputes that have occurred this year, highlighting the rising tensions between the union and the automakers. As the UAW continues their fight to ensure a fair deal at Detroit’s Big Three automakers, all eyes will be on Alabama as they continue to press for their demands.
