SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WTVF) — The UAW expanded its ongoing strike against the Big Three auto companies Friday, but so far, thousands of workers in Spring Hill remain on the job.
Members of the Spring Hill UAW say they gathered in the union hall to find out what was going to happen to them this week, as the UAW International President gave out new striking orders in what's becoming a weekly Friday morning live stream.
John Rutherford, the local union president in Spring Hill, says members figured Friday would be their day, but plants in Chicago and Lansing Michigan were targeted instead.
The union says it is ready to strike, even if it means uncertainty each and every week.
If it does strike, 3500 employees in Spring Hill would be directly impacted, which could have a ripple effect across the local economy.
"It's going to affect local businesses, with people withholding spending, maybe not go out to restaurants, but we're looking long term," Rutherford said. "If we can get a well-deserved contract, we can bump our pay up and spend more money in the economy in the long term."
The union says production at GM's Spring Hill final assembly plant continues as normal, unaffected by parts shortages created by strikes in other locations.
Friday's strike expansion in Illinois and Michigan brings the total number of striking workers across the country to more than 18,000.
