SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WTVF) — Instead of going to work inside the General Motors facility in Spring Hill, thousands of local automakers are now part of the United Auto Workers strike.
For several weeks, the UAW has been fighting with each of the Big Three automakers for a new contract. Little by little, the union has expanded the strike, even after reaching tentative agreements with both Ford, and Chrysler and Jeep owner Stellantis.
"There's been a lot of anticipation," said Jason Spain, UAW-GM Shop Chariman.
Strategic strikes by the UAW have been something Local 1853 has watched closely. Finally, on Saturday afternoon, union members at GM's Spring Hill plant were told to put down their tools
"We've been antsy the last 4 weeks," said John Rutherford, local union president. "We've been anxious to join our brothers and sisters. We got a call to stand up, and we've been chomping at the bits to join them, and we're out here fighting for a justifiable cause and a good contract."
The tentative contract agreements with Ford and Stellantis include things like wage increases, the reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments and the elimination of wage tiers.
"They're making record profits. We want record contracts to come with that," Rutherford said.
On the first day of their strike, members of the local union got a surprise call from UAW President Shawn Fain.
"We want to get GM to the finish line and the power that you guys have down there in Spring Hill... hoping that's the thing that's going to get us there," Shawn Fain said on the phone.
According to Local 1853, approximately 3,200 members join the strike.
