On Tuesday, Carl Kennebrew, president of the Moraine-based IUE-CWA union, said that he did not expect layoffs at the MAHLE Behr plant in Dayton, where about 1,600 people are employed.
German firm MAHLE GmbH took a majority ownership stake in the Behr Group, which owned the local plant, in 2013. The Dayton plant, once owned by Chrysler, has operated since the 1930s.
However, more than 500 DMAX workers, also represented by the IUE-CWA, remain on temporary layoff. DMAX employs more than 800 workers making diesel truck engines at a Dryden Road plant in Moraine.
In a video message on Facebook Sunday, UAW Vice President Terry Dittes said strike pay has been raised from $250 to $275 per week. In addition, the union will allow strikers to take part-time work if they continue to fulfill their picket duties.
Both changes are signs that strike is taking a financial toll on workers.
The UAW has also called union leaders to a meeting in Detroit Thursday, according to anonymously sourced news reports. Reuters has reported that the meeting will take place at GM headquarters.
“We will continue this fight until we know that we can satisfy your needs,” Dittes said in the Facebook video.
About the Author
