GM Reaches Out Directly to UAW Workers

General Motors has done things a bit out of the ordinary with the UAW strike still going on. The automaker has decided to appeal directly to employees via a blog post that laid out the terms of its latest offer.

The statement read, “The strike has been hard on you, your families, our communities, the Company, our suppliers and dealers. We have advised the Union that it’s critical that we get back to producing quality vehicles for our customers. (…) Our offer builds on the winning formula we have all benefitted from over the past several years.”

The latest offer increased compensation and profit-sharing, promised temporary employees a path to full-time jobs and leaves health-care benefits untouched.

As of the end of September, the strike had cost GM half a billion dollars already. If it continues, that number could reach $1.5 billion. GM lost an estimated 100,000 production vehicles in the third quarter and is at risk of losing another 170,000 vehicles in the current quarter.

In a letter of his own, United Auto Workers Vice President Terry Dittes responded by saying that there won’t be a response to Monday’s offer until committees working on issues are finished.

These committees are working on issues including products for factories that GM wants to close, investments in other U.S. factories, and training for union workers to handle any future technology.