GM strike ends, EV plans unveiled

The strike at General Motors (GM) ended today as United Automobile Workers (UAW) union members ratified a new collective bargaining agreement that includes plans to transition two idled facilities to electric vehicle production.

The work stoppage began on 16 September, halting operations at 33 GM manufacturing plants and 22 parts distribution warehouses and impacting suppliers, particularly of steel and aluminum components. About 48,000 workers participated in the strike, the longest for the automotive industry in 50 years, according to the UAW.

GM said it has planned $7.7bn of new investments in the US, including bringing an all-electric pick-up truck to its idled Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan. The facility, which used to produce the Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Volt, was idled in March.

GM also will move forward with plans to bring a battery cell production facility to the Mahoning Valley in Ohio, creating 1,000 manufacturing jobs.

It will also work toward selling its idled Lordstown, Ohio, complex to a new electric truck manufacturer called Lordstown Motor Corp. Lordstown had produced the Chevrolet Cruze before being idled in March.

GM will also spend more than $4bn in vehicle programs and facility improvements across the US

The four-year deal, which was tentatively agreed to on 16 October, includes wage increases as well as retaining health care coverage and providing a clearer path for temporary workers to attain permanent positions.