The Latest: Union protesters arrested at Tennessee GM plant

DETROIT – The Latest on the United Auto Workers union’s strike that has crippled U.S. production at General Motors (all times local):

5:15 p.m.

A United Auto Workers official says about seven to nine union picketers were arrested for blocking a roadway at a General Motors plant in Tennessee.

Local UAW Chairman Mike Herron said the arrests came Wednesday at the Spring Hill plant after authorities asked the protesters multiple times to get out of the road. Herron said he believes the protesters were afraid trucks might get into the plant.

Herron said at a news conference that police and the sheriff’s department have done a fantastic job and have been supportive during the ongoing strike.

He said arrests take the union off its message.

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1:30 p.m.

The strike by 49,000 United Auto Workers against General Motors is starting to affect production in other countries.

Company spokesman Dan Flores confirms that the 3-day-old strike has forced GM to place about 1,200 workers on temporary layoff at a Canadian factory that makes pickup trucks.

The plant in Oshawa, Ontario, near Toronto makes the previous generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups.

The Silverado is GM’s top-selling vehicle in the U.S.

The plant also makes the Chevrolet Impala large car, and that production has not been affected.

Flores says production continues at two other Canadian plants which make engines and the Chevrolet Equinox SUV.

He says parts shortages due to the strike have not affected production in Mexico.

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12:40 p.m.

Union and company bargainers rested Tuesday night but returned to work Wednesday morning as a strike by United Auto Workers that brought 33 General Motors factories to a halt continued into its third day.

Progress was reported as committees continued work on thorny issues such as wages, health insurance costs, use of temporary workers, and new work for plants slated to close.

UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said the talks were moving slowly but progressing.

More than 49,000 workers walked off their jobs on Monday in a dispute over the union’s quest to get a bigger share of GM’s profits and the company’s goal of cutting labour costs so they’re closer to those at U.S. auto plants run by foreign companies.

Health care costs and giving temporary workers a clear path to permanent jobs were two major sticking points in talks toward a new four-year contract.

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8 a.m.

Union and company bargainers are making progress toward a new contract as a strike by United Auto Workers brought 33 General Motors factories to a halt continued into its third day.

Committees working on thorny issues such as wages, health insurance costs, use of temporary workers, and new work for plants slated to close worked until early evening Tuesday and are scheduled to resume bargaining early Wednesday.

UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said the talks were moving slowly but progressing.

More than 49,000 workers walked off their jobs on Monday in a dispute over the union’s quest to get a bigger share of GM’s profits and the company’s goal of cutting labour costs so they’re closer to those at U.S. auto plants run by foreign companies.

Health care costs and giving temporary workers a clear path to permanent jobs were two major sticking points in talks toward a new four-year contract.

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