雅虎香港電視

General Motors workers in Tonawanda, New York, went on strike on September 16 as part of a nationwide work stoppage, local media reported.

In a video uploaded by Niagara Gazette reporter Mia Summerson, workers can be seen holding placards and walking in a circle outside the General Motors (GM) plant in Tonawanda. Summerson said they had been on strike since midnight, which is when the United Auto Workers (UAW) said the strike would begin.

“They say establishing a path to permanent employment for temp workers and preserving their healthcare package are among the major reasons for the strike,” Summerson said on Twitter.

The strike action, which began just after midnight on September 16, involved over 45,000 members of the UAW from 31 plants across the country. Despite the work stoppage, the union and the company resumed negotiations at 10 am Monday.

The dispute between the workers and GM is over wages, benefits, and job security, according to the UAW. It said: “We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most. Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity for our Members, their families and the communities where we work and live.”

GM said the strike was disappointing.

More than 1,300 workers were on strike at the Tonawanda GM plant, local media reported.

The last strike against GM was a two-day walkout in 2007. Credit: Mia Summerson and Niagara Gazette via Storyful