5,000 Arlington General Motors workers join UAW strike, shutting down assembly plant

Thousands of workers at General Motors’ Arlington plant walked out Tuesday morning, shutting down one of GM’s most profitable and largest plants.

The UAW confirmed about 5,000 workers walked out of the Arlington assembly plant to join the United Auto Workers strike. The plant has 5,322 workers, according to GM, which the company estimates represents about 3% of the city's total workforce.

In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, workers are seen exiting the revolving front gates at the Arlington plant, raising their fists as they joined the picket line.

The last auto strike was in 2019 and lasted 40 days.

The Arlington factory makes some of GM’s most profitable full-size truck-based SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.

Last week, UAW president Shawn Fain said he would no longer wait to expand the strike on Fridays, noting that the “big three” automakers — Ford, Stellantis and GM — were slow to make progress on negotiations, according to the Fort Worth Report.

GM employees say they're striking for higher wages, job security and eliminating the “tier-based” pay systems at the companies.

“Another record quarter, another record year. As we’ve said for months: record profits equal record contracts,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. “It’s time GM workers, and the whole working class, get their fair share.”

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Mario Ervin has been working at the GM Arlington plant for five years.

He said he has feeling a mix of emotions — especially since he doesn’t know how long this will go on.

Ervin wants a fair contract, but being on strike means no paycheck until a contract is reached. He’s going off a $500 weekly union fund.

“I'm just hoping that we get some resolution, and we get a fair contract,” he said.

Tony Lomelin, a certified forklift operator who has worked at the GM Arlington plant for 28 years, said he has been working six-day workweeks for years.

“It gets overwhelming,” Lomelin said. “You don't have a lot of time with your kids.”

Despite General Motors’ record profits, UAW said the latest offer “fails to reward” them for the profits they’ve generated for the company, according to a statement.

However, GM representatives wrote in a statement that the company increased its offer to the UAW by 25% in total value. GM’s proposed new offer includes a 23% wage increase over four years. The UAW wants a 36% increase.

"We are disappointed by the escalation of this unnecessary and irresponsible strike," they said. "It is harming our team members who are sacrificing their livelihoods and having negative ripple effects on our dealers, suppliers, and the communities that rely on us."

Last month, workers at a General Motors' parts distribution center in Roanoke — about 20 miles from Fort Worth — and a Stellantis distribution center in Carrollton went on strike.

The UAW strategically targets specific plants to maximize the economic impact of the strike, the Fort Worth Report previously reported.

The threat of expanding the strike can work as a negotiation tactic for selective strikes as it adds pressure on the employer to meet union demands.

Consumers trying to buy a car won’t see effects of the strike immediately, although it may impact the availability of particular car models.

The Arlington walkout brings the total number of striking UAW members to more than 45,000 as the strike nears its six-week mark.

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Seth Bodine is a business and economic development reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at seth.bodine@fortworthreport.org and follow on Twitter @sbodine120. 

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This is a developing story and will be updated.