CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The United Auto Workers union announced an expansion of its strike on Friday that now includes a major parts distribution facility in Clayton County.
The expansion of the strike targeted GM and Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler after the initial strike was launched against the "Big 3" automakers last week.
That brought workers from the Chrysler parts distribution center in Morrow - along with more than a dozen other facilities in metro areas including Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas - to the picket line. In all, the expansion of the strike includes 38 GM and Stellantis locations across 20 states.
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The expanded strike began at noon. 11Alive's La'Tasha Givens was at the Morrow facility, south of Atlanta, when workers walked off the job.
The UAW Region 8 account also posted a picture of the picket line outside the center.
The UAW cited what it alleged as substandard pay at Mopar (the parts and services division of what was formerly the Chrysler Corporation), a rejection by Stellantis of UAW job security proposals, and a deficient cost of living adjustment offer in negotiations as reasons for the expanded strike.
Stellantis, in a statement, said it questioned the sincerity of union leadership in wanting to reach an agreement.
"They seem more concerned about pursuing their own political agendas than negotiating in the best interests of our employees and the sustainability of our U.S. operations given the market’s fierce competition," the company's statement said.
They called their offer "very competitive" and said it includes "all our current full-time hourly employees earning between $80,000 and $96,000 a year by the end of the contract (a 21.4% compounded increase); a long-term solution for Belvidere; and, significant product allocation that allows for workforce stability through the end of the contract."
The UAW, for their part, said GM and Stellantis "are still offering a deficient COLA that is projected to provide ZERO increases over the next four years."
"Both companies have rejected all of our job security proposals. Both companies have rejected our profit-sharing proposals. Both companies have rejected our proposals to convert temps," a UAW statement said.
Stellantis said it had "not received a response" to its offer.
It's not clear how long the strike in metro Atlanta, and the other expanded sites may last - with the UAW saying it would "shut down parts distribution until those two companies come to their senses and come to the table with a serious offer."
Stellantis said it would "look forward to the UAW leadership’s productive engagement so that we can bargain in good faith to reach an agreement that will protect the competitiveness of our Company and our ability to continue providing good jobs."