United Auto Workers Local 710 have initiated a strike against Challenge Manufacturing in Kansas City, Kansas, which is responsible for making sheet metal floor pans for the General Motors Fairfax assembly plant.
The Kansas City Star reports 290 UAW members walked out on February 2, 2017, and have not returned to work since. During the time, negotiators from both sides have continued to meet over pay, working conditions and benefits at the plant, which has been running three shifts. Challenge Manufacturing has negotiated contracts with two other plants in the U.S., giving members hope the strike will come to an end soon.
Challenge Manufacturing opened its Kansas City plant just over a year ago and the Local 710 was recognized as the bargaining unit in November of 2016. Kansas City authorized up to $56 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds to attract the company as it promised to create 375 jobs. The company also received personal property and sales tax abatement for 10 years.
Comments
So, is Fairfax building vehicles without floor pans, to be installed later? A little more info on the impact of the strike, please.
Someone within General Motors forgot about this place.. unless they crunched the numbers and it’s still cheaper than importing the same components from China or Mexico.