UAW walkout at Michigan parts plant hits GM truck supply

Nearly 1,000 employees at a Michigan components plant walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. Monday, halting production at the Dauch Corp. facility. The strike follows a breakdown in contract negotiations, directly threatening the supply chain for General Motors pickup trucks as the union pushes to reclaim decade-old wage losses.

The United Auto Workers union confirmed the picket lines at the Three Rivers site, which serves as a critical link for GM’s truck manufacturing operations. UAW President Shawn Fain signaled a hardline stance in a weekend video address, vowing to deploy the union’s full resources until the company addresses their compensation demands.

At the heart of the dispute is a long-standing grievance regarding pay structures dating back to the Great Recession. The union reports that veteran employees, who previously earned $29 an hour, saw their wages cut to $14.50 in 2008. Current pay scales at the plant top out at $22 an hour following a five-year progression. A Dauch spokesperson labeled the work stoppage disappointing but offered no specifics regarding ongoing bargaining efforts.