GM workers walk out

GM workers walk out

By staff, wire reports (Updated 12:35 p.m.)

LORDSTOWN — The United Auto Workers launched a national strike against General Motors Corp., at 11 a.m. today, GM spokesman Dan Flores confirmed. It’s the first nationwide strike during auto contract negotiations since 1976.
Among the strikers are about 1,200 UAW Local 1112 workers that walked of the Lordstown GM plant’s first shift this morning. That makes up about half of the total 1112 membership, according to Local President Jim Graham.
Workers began gathering this morning inside United Auto Workers hall in North Jackson after streaming out of the Lordstown General Motors plant.
‘‘I don’t think anyone in the country expected the UAW to go on strike, but we did,’’ Graham said to applause from union members at the union hall. ‘‘The middle class has to make a stand someplace.’’
The Associated Press was reporting that workers already were picketing outside five General Motors Corp. plants in the Detroit area after the late morning United Auto Workers strike deadline passed.
In Lordstown, laborers were pouring into the union hall to get picket assignments. Graham said pickets are being set up and he noted that no one will get into the plant, including car-hauler trucks.
Graham said local talks have broken off, but there was no immediate word on international talks. He called on the members to keep the faith with the international bargainers.
A call placed to Lordstown’s management could not immediately be reached for comment.
The UAW had extended its contract for nine days after it expired on Sept. 14, but the negotiations became bogged down Sunday, apparently over the union’s quest to protect jobs by getting the company to guarantee that new vehicles would be built in U.S. factories.
The UAW hasn’t called a nationwide strike during contract negotiations since 1976, when Ford Motor Co. plants were shut down. There were strikes at two GM plants during contract negotiations in 1996