Union members at General Motors’ Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan., voted Thursday to authorize a strike if a local contract agreement isn’t reached.
KSHB-TV reported that more than 90 percent of those who voted approved authorizing the strike.The vote doesn’t mean there will be a strike, but it does authorize the union leadership to call a strike if necessary in reaching a local agreement, UAW Local 31 president George Ruiz said before the vote. The local represents more than 3,000 members working at the Fairfax plant.Ruiz declined to comment on the issues involved in the negotiations with GM.A local agreement can touch on issues such as transfers to other jobs at the plant. But it does not get involved in pay, benefits and other matters decided by the national contract approved in September.That deal, approved by a majority nationally and within Local 31, involved a wage increase for entry-level workers while others will receive bonuses and profit-sharing checks over the term of the contract. GM also made a commitment to add 6,400 jobs in the United States, a victory for the UAW, which has been concerned about outsourcing of work to other countries.A GM spokeswoman didn’t respond Thursday to a message seeking comment on the Fairfax contract.Read more Business
Posted on Fri, Jan. 27, 2012 08:05 AM
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UAW local at GM Fairfax votes to authorize strike
Assembly line workers prepared to add the chassis and engine to a Buick LaCrosse at the General Motors Fairfax plant in June.
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| Steve Everly, severly@kcstar.com
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