The United Auto Workers strike against General Motors is approaching one month and one local organization is preparing for an increase in needs from union members.
With bills and other expenses continuing, UAW workers on strike are feeling the pinch. Strike pay offers only $250 a week if picketing requirements are met.
Cheryl Graham is the Howard County United Way AFL-CIO director. She says union members did prepare for the strike, saving money and cutting unnecessary costs, but that will only help to a point.
“They’re pretty self-sufficient and they’re figuring it out now,” says Graham. “But as their income becomes less and less per month, it’ll be two weeks and they’ll have had a full month of just $250 checks. Then we’re going to see people asking questions and trying to tap into community resources to meet their needs.”
She says she is constantly in touch with local UAW members and tracking what needs are arising. During the strike, UAW members have been looking to their local communities for support.
Local union chapters are receiving food, supplies and financial donations from businesses and neighbors in the area.
As the union liaison at her county’s United Way, Graham says social media has helped provide faster support in comparison to past strikes. She says the local union’s Facebook page helps her see what is needed.
“I’ll get some calls like, what do they need? And so that allows me to just go back to that page really quick and say right now this is what they don’t have,” says Graham. “But they have literally said I need this and it’s come. Back in the day, you know, that’s 15 calls to get a bag of ice. So, I think it’s just helped us tremendously to meet their needs quicker; a lot more efficiently.”
The UAW strike against GM affects thousands of Hoosiers around Indiana with GM facilities in the Fort Wayne area, Bedford, Marion and Kokomo.
GM is also facing financial loses each day production is down. A company official released a letter Fridaysaying it’s critical the UAW and automotive company reach an agreement.
Contact Samantha at shorton@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @SamHorton5.