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Article Summary

“Autoworkers Union Goes on Strike Against G.M.”

NY Times

September 15th, 2019

Article Link:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/15/business/autoworkers-union-general-motors.html

Company Profile:

General Motors Company or General Motors is commonly referred to as an American multinational corporation that designs, markets, manufactures, and even distributes vehicles, parts of vehicles and sells financial services.

General Motors owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC.

Production Output: 8,384,000 vehicles (2018)

The relative number of employees: 173,000 (2018)

CEO: Mary T. Barra

Headquarters: Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan, US

Revenue: US $147 Billion (2018)

Article Topic/Issue

The United Automobile Workers union (UAW) that worked in factories for General Motors went in a strike at midnight this week. It was because of the lack of response from GM officials for their demands of increased wages and benefits, more jobs and reopening of idle manufacturing plants. This action was taken a day after their current agreement with GM expired.

Book Topic:

“Diversity, Affirmative Action, and Equality - Barriers to Equal Opportunities,” ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Employment and Employee Rights - Foundations of Business Ethics. Wiley, 2008, page 173.

Article Summary & Analysis:

Nearly 50,000 members United Automobile Workers union (UAW), working for General Motors went on a strike on Monday morning. These members worked across the Midwest and South to picket lines factories. According to the regional leaders of UAW, the strike was authorized following a unanimous vote on Sunday morning, since the current bargaining agreement by the union with General Motors expired on Saturday. The UAW has been demanding GM to improve workers’ wages and reopen idled plants to add jobs in the region. Furthermore, they also demanded that the difference in pay and the relative pay rates for newly hired workers and veteran workers should be narrowed-down or closed completely. They demanded that GM give its employees better healthcare cost coverage and allow for increased workforce productivity and flexibility. In a statement released by GM, it offered to invest around $7 billion in opening up plants across the country and also add 5,400 new jobs. It also promised to increase the pay and benefits of current workers.

An analysis of the situation reveals that it was GM, not UAW, who were unable to do as comply with the basic rights of their employees, i.e. “equal pay for equal work, comparable pay for similar positions, and equal opportunities for promotion, as well as employment security.” Employment and Employee Rights - Foundations of Business Ethics. Wiley, 2008, page 173. Thus, the company should take responsibility for their actions and give UAW their employment rights in order to have them continue working for them.