LABOR STRIKE HITS A THIRD GM PLANT : ON STRIKE.Byline: Brian S. Akre Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. General Motors Corp. was hit with a third strike Tuesday in what's shaping up to be a long season of labor discontent at the world's largest automaker. The strikes come as GM launches several new models aimed at reversing its declining market share. But the company appears willing to incur costly strikes in hopes of seeing longer-term labor savings. ``The only way to compete is to cut costs,'' said analyst Lincoln C. Merrihew of J.D. Power & Associates in Agoura Hills. ``All the manufacturers realize that; it's just that GM is somewhat behind, compared with Ford and Chrysler.'' About 8,500 members of the International Union of Electronic Workers went on strike just after midnight at GM's Delphi Packard Electric Systems complex in Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Trumbull CountyGR6. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio, approximately 14 miles (22 km) northwest of Youngstown and 15 miles (24 km) west of the Pennsylvania state line. . If the strike lasts, it could force GM to shut down assembly plants across North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . The dispute is largely over job security and fears that the automaker plans to shift more jobs to Mexico. ``They can go to Mexico and pay people a whole lot less. And those people can't even buy the product they're making,'' said Donald Caione, a 30-year Delphi Packard worker who was on a picket line. The IUEW IUEW International Union of Electronic Workers workers join 9,400 members of the United Auto Workers The United Auto Workers (UAW), headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, officially the United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America International Union who have been on strike since last month at GM assembly plants in Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (1990 pop. 444,719), state capital, and seat of Oklahoma co., central Okla., on the North Canadian River; inc. 1890. The state's largest city, it is an important livestock market, a wholesale, distribution, industrial, and financial center, and a farm and Pontiac, Mich. No significant progress has been reported in talks to settle those walkouts. GM's resolve not to give in to the unions' demands is helped by a $14.6 billion cash reserve. A strike at two Dayton, Ohio Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Montgomery County. As of the 2005 census estimate, the population of Dayton was 158,873. , brake plants last year virtually halted its North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. production and cost the automaker $900 million before it was settled. The latest strike risks the same kind of crippling effect. The company's 18 plants in the Warren-Youngstown area produce wiring harnesses, printed circuit boards, battery cables, ignition cables and other electronic parts that are used in nearly all GM vehicles. They also produce supplies for final parts assembly in Mexican plants. The workers rejected a tentative deal in March because of disparities in retirement offers to workers who joined the company from 1967-69. But the union also is upset over the prospect of losing more jobs to Mexico. Strikes under way at General Motors Corp. plants Tuesday: PONTIAC EAST ASSEMBLY Location: Pontiac, Mich. Products: GMC GMC See: Guaranteed Mortgage Certificate and Chevrolet full-size pickups Union: United Auto Workers Began: April 22 Workers: 5,900 Top issue: Staffing Damage: Production of hot-selling pickups. OKLAHOMA CITY ASSEMBLY Oklahoma City Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Construction on the 4,000,000-square-foot plant started in 1974, and it opened in 1979 to produce the X-body cars. Location: Oklahoma City Products: Chevrolet Malibu, Oldsmobile Cutlass Union: United Auto Workers Workers: 3,500 Top issue: Staffing Damage: Launch of two new mid-size cars DELPHI PACKARD ELECTRIC SYSTEMS Location: Warren-Youngstown, Ohio, region Products: Wiring harnesses, printed circuit boards, battery cables, ignition cables and other electronic parts Union: International Union of Electronic Workers Workers: 8,500 Top issue: Job security Damage: Could cause GM to close more assembly plants CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box Photo: (1--Color) No caption (Strikers) (2) A striker at GM's Delphi Packard plant in Warren, Ohio, turns his back Tuesday to stop a truck from entering. Associated Press Box: (Color) ON STRIKE (See text) |
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