Auto workers picket outside Brandon GM plant

The General Motors Distribution Center in Brandon is one of 38 automobile distribution plants in the country with picketing employees. The United Auto Workers union has now been striking both vehicle production and parts facilities for two weeks now, and Southern plants that were initially not included were recently asked to join in.

Brian Finley picks parts at the plant for a living. He says there have been times when workers don't know if they'll be able to afford meals for their families.

“Labor is not going up, but, you know, the cost of living is, I mean, you can go in a grocery store nowadays [with] $100 and come out with two bags,” he said. “I almost make just about as much striking that I would a 40-hour week in there.”

President Joe Biden said on social media that he will soon be joining those on the picket line in Michigan to show solidarity with the union, who is paying striking workers weekly to make up for some of the lost wages. 

Ron Fisher also picks parts at the Brandon facility and says the company has made several changes that negatively impact workers.

“Anything over eight hours, was overtime. … now, we have to work 40 hours before we get overtime,” he said. “They started putting tiers in place where people were making different salaries, and they had temps put in place, and the list just goes on and on… You can see what we have done and the company's not even tried to repay any of it back.”

Fisher was the assigned Strike Captain when employees were outside of the center picketing on Monday. He says wages have not kept up with inflation and haven't changed at all in about a decade.

“We're just looking for a better way of life… we created the middle class in the thirties, and we want to keep that momentum going,” he said. “We've been stagnant for the last 10 years and now it's time for something to move.”

According to the Associated Press, about 13% of the union’s membership is currently participating in the strike, which now includes plants across 20 states.