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Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Thousands of United Auto Workers members on Monday joined the picket lines at Stellantis' Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Michigan, resulting in the temporary shutdown of vehicle production. The union said about 6,800 UAW members walked out as part of its Stand Up Strike effort. The action brings to 40,000 the number UAW members engaged in strikes targeting the Big Three automakers approaching their sixth week.
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"Despite having the highest revenue, the highest profits (North American and global), the highest profit margins and the most cash in reserve, Stellantis lags behind both Ford and General Motors in addressing the demands of their UAW workforce," the union said in a press release.
"Stellantis has the worst proposal on the table regarding wage progression, temporary worker pay and conversion to full-time, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and more."
The Sterling Heights Assembly Plant produces Ram 1500 full-size pickup trucks.
Last week, Ford Motor Co. implemented layoffs at its Sterling Axle Plant in Michigan, affecting 150 employees.
The company attributed the workforce reductions, which have reached a total of 418 employees, to the strike.
"Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW's targeted strike strategy has knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage," Ford spokesman Dan Barbossa said in a news release last week.
The strike first began on Sept. 15 with a walkout affecting three assembly plants located in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. It has since expanded to encompass seven assembly plants and 38 parts distribution centers across 22 states.
