LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Delta Township General Motors plant has been added to the list of United Auto Workers strike targets. Alongside The Ford Motor Company’s Chicago Assembly Plant, a total of 7,000 more workers are now on strike.
At noon on Friday, September 29th, union workers at The Delta GM Plant drove out of the factory and begin the strike in Lansing, following UAW President, Shawn Fain’s strike update earlier that morning. The strike against GM, Ford, and Stellantis has now reached about 25,000 workers, 2,300 of those workers from The Delta Township Plant.
Keri Hall has worked at the GM plant in Delta Township for 10 years. After working her way up through the plant, she’s now the elected chair for the UAW Women’s Committee.
“This strike is not about just the line workers,” Hall said. “What we do gain, everyone will gain, and everybody will win.”
Hall said so far the strike has been unifying. She said they aren’t just striking for themselves, but to raise the standards for workers in other industries all over the country.
Hall explained that at the Delta Plant, when the manufacturing for The GMC Acadia was moved down south, the plant adjusted to just two shifts, creating mandatory 9 hour work days, and 6 day work weeks that have taken a toll on workers.
“There’s always a negative, and that could be mental health, or that could be simply just not having time to have that balance and to take care of family and things that really are a priority.” Hall said. “We are heavily aware that what affects us, effects others. Whether they’re with a union or not, or in a factory or not.”
She says even retired union members have made their way out to fight for better contracts and the future of the auto industry. Hall explained that she believes workers are striking not just to protect themselves, but to protect the economy as a whole so that when manufactures switch to the making Electric Vehicles, they’re doing it through the correct processes and in the right manner.
With the strike now into the third week, hall says the local 602 workers are happy to join in and stand up for workers rights across the country.
