By David Shepardson and Joseph White
(Reuters) – The United Auto Workers (UAW) expanded its strike at General Motors to include an engine plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. This plant supplies nine factories that produce several of GM’s best-selling and most profitable vehicles.
UAW President Shawn Fain ordered the walkout at the Spring Hill manufacturing complex because GM is refusing to agree to contract terms based on deals struck at Ford and Stellantis.
“We are disappointed by GM’s unnecessary and irresponsible refusal to come to a fair agreement,” said Fain in a statement.
GM expressed disappointment about the UAW strike at Spring Hill and stated that it still aims to “reach an agreement as quickly as possible.”
Spring Hill Manufacturing, an assembly and propulsion plant, is the largest GM facility in North America, employing nearly 4,000 people. It supplies engines and components to several GM plants, including those in Indiana, Mexico, Kentucky, and Kansas. Two other assembly plants that also rely on Spring Hill, in Texas and Missouri, are already on strike.
A prolonged strike at Spring Hill could significantly impact GM’s finances. The company mentioned in a filing earlier this week that strike costs have reached $400 million per week.
Moments before the walkout in Tennessee, the UAW announced a tentative labor agreement with Chrysler parent company Stellantis. A similar deal was reached with Ford on Wednesday.
Prior to this, the UAW had already gone on strike at GM assembly plants in Missouri and Michigan, as well as 18 parts distribution warehouses.
(Reporting by David Shepardson and Joseph White; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
