WENTZVILLE, Mo. – Negotiations and a strike continue for Lear Corporation employees over alleged health and safety issues, leading to production stopping at the Wentzville GM plant.
Normally, there are almost 500 employees working throughout three shifts in one day. All year, they’ve worked six days a week. Tuesday, workers held up pickets at their workplace, asking for higher wages and safer conditions.
Lear Corporation produces the seats that go into vehicles made at the GM plant, which also has workers coming in six days a week. With the strike, it has now prevented 4500 employees from continuing production at GM in Wentzville.
Sunday night, a four-year contract between United Autoworkers Union Local 282 and Lear Corporation expired after a month of failed negotiations. Employees say their work gives them back and elbow pain as they’re also fighting for more money and health insurance options.
The local UAW president said it’s a team effort to make a change. FOX 2 reached out to Lear Corporations, who provided the following response, in part:
“We have negotiated in good faith with the UAW for some time… Lear Corporation stands firm in supporting our employees… We remain committed to reaching an agreement that will benefit all parties.”
It is expected that the GM plant around the corner will remain idle until the strike is resolved, and production can continue. Workers say this could last for some time.
