One Day Wildcat Strike at GM Plant in Lordstown, Ohio

04/17/96

5,500 workers from UAW Local 1112 walked out of work Monday at a GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio. The workers struck to protest the firing of the local's shop Chairman Al Alli. The strike was not authorized by the UAW, and Tony Zone, the local President, and Al Alli called for the workers to return to work.

GM fired Alli on Saturday for what they termed "improper conduct in the plant;" the company said the firing was unrelated to recent negotiations over grievances filed by the union. The union wants GM to add 300 jobs at the plant to maintain safe staffing levels.

In February workers from a shop in Warren Michigan staged a wildcat strike to protest GM's firing of their local union president, Randall Pearson, and shop Chairman, Herman Ector. Both Randall and Ector were rehired in March. The UAW named Pearson as a member of its national Chrysler negotiating team for contract talks with the big three automakers this fall.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel