Voting in the UAW strike is a mixed bag so far, with union locals are voting on separate days. Thus far, the Warren Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, a metal stamping plant in Saginaw, Michigan, and a transmission plant in Toledo, Ohio all approved the deal. However, a large assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with almost as many workers as the other three facilities combined, narrowly voted it down. Many union members are angry about the provision of the deal to close three plants, including an assembly line in Lordstown, Ohio, and transmission plants in Warren, Michigan, and Baltimore. The pending deal would dissolve the UAW GM training center, similar to the center UAW Fiat Chrysler center under federal investigation. The strike has cost GM at least $2 billion, and according to some financial analysts could “bring GM to its knees.” UAW goosed strike pay to $275 per week in the middle of October, up from $250. Due to UAW strikers at a Mack Trucks plant in Baltimore, Volvo announced it will lay off 3,000 workers as it shuts down production due to lack of transmissions and engines that come from a Maryland plant the companies share. Although the Mack Truck strike isn’t linked to the UAW-GM strikes, the negotiations with GM could affect the Mack negotiations.
