Automakers furlough hundreds more workers as strike rolls on

U.S.-based automakers have furloughed hundreds more workers as the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against three major automakers continues to roll on. 

Reuters reported Monday that both Ford Motors Inc. and General Motors (GM) furloughed a total of 494 workers from company factories in Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. 

This follows Stellantis’s, the parent company of U.S.-based brand Chrysler, decision to furlough nearly 370 workers at its Ohio and Indiana plants.

Last month, GM laid off 2,000 employees from its Fairfax, Kan., plant due to a parts shortage stemming from the strike, as did Ford, which temporary laid off 600 workers at a Michigan-based plant, Reuters reported. 

A Ford spokesperson confirmed the latest round of layoffs to The Hill on Tuesday, citing the ongoing strike as the reason.. 

“These are not lock outs,” the spokesperson said. “These layoffs are a consequence of the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant, because these two facilities must reduce production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago Assembly Plant.”

“These 330 layoffs are in addition to 600 laid off from Michigan Assembly Plant beginning Sept. 15, bringing Ford’s total to 930 employees impacted by strike-related layoffs,” they added.

The news comes as UAW President Shawn Fain said last week that the union plans to expand its strike to a Ford plant in Chicago and a General Motors plant in Lansing, Mich.

Fain noted that an additional 7,000 union members from the two plants were called to join the picket lines, which brings the total number of autoworkers on strike to 25,000. 

“Despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress at the table,” Fain said in a livestream last week. “That’s why at noon Eastern time today, we will expand our strike to these two companies.” 

“Our courageous members at these two plants are the next wave of reinforcements in our fight for record contracts.” 

The UAW union launched its strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis last month. The union is asking for higher wages, shorter work weeks, union representation for battery plant workers and better retirement benefits, including restored pensions for new hires.

Lauren Sforza contributed reporting.