Strike at Lear Corporation paralyzes production at GM’s Wentzville plant

WENTZVILLE, Missouri – Negotiations and a strike by Lear Corporation employees over alleged health and safety issues continue, resulting in a halt in production at GM’s Wentzville plant.

Normally, nearly 500 employees work three shifts a day. They have worked six days a week all year long. On Tuesday, the workers picketed outside their workplace, fighting for higher wages and safer conditions.

Lear Corporation produces the seats for the vehicles manufactured at the GM plant. There, too, the workers work six days a week. With the strike, Lear has now prevented 4,500 employees from continuing production at GM in Wentzville.

A four-year contract between the United Autoworkers Union Local 282 and Lear Corporation expired Sunday night after a month of unsuccessful negotiations. Employees report that their jobs are causing them back and elbow pain while fighting for more money and health insurance options.

The local UAW president said it was a team effort to make a change. FOX 2 reached out to Lear Corporations, who provided the following response in part:

“We have been negotiating in good faith with the UAW for some time… Lear Corporation stands firmly in support of our employees… We remain committed to reaching an agreement that benefits all parties.”

The GM plant around the corner is expected to be idle until the strike is over and production can resume. Workers say that could take some time.