ARLINGTON, Texas - In a significant development, 5,000 members at Arlington Assembly have joined the United Auto Workers (UAW)'s Stand Up Strike, thereby causing a production shutdown at General Motors' (GM) largest plant and top revenue generator.

The workers responsible for manufacturing lucrative vehicles such as the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade, have united in this unprecedented demonstration against all three of the Big Three automakers. This move comes shortly after GM announced third-quarter earnings of $3.5 billion, following the strike at Stellantis' largest plant, Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP), and the revelation of GM's inadequate contract offer by the union.

UAW President Shawn Fain emphasized the need for GM workers and the wider working class to receive their fair share while commenting on GM's impressive financials, stating, "Another record quarter, another record year. As we've said for months: record profits equal record contracts."

Despite GM's exceptional profitability, having accumulated $10 billion in profits over the past nine months and consistently surpassing revenue expectations, their latest contract offer fails to adequately compensate UAW members for their contributions. In comparison to Ford's proposal, GM's offer falls short in multiple areas, including a two-tier wage progression, an underwhelming 401(k) contribution offer, a deficient COLA, and other deficiencies. Considering their previous record-breaking quarter in terms of revenue, it is evident that GM is well-positioned to afford a contract that reflects the workers' value and addresses years of declining standards and wages across the Big Three.

With the sudden walkout at Arlington Assembly, the total number of UAW members on strike against the Big Three automakers now exceeds 45,000, as the strike approaches the six-week mark.

The Stand Up Strike marks a new approach to labor action, marking the first time in history that the UAW has simultaneously struck all three major automakers. However, instead of mobilizing all 150,000 UAW autoworkers at once, specific locals have been enlisted to "Stand Up" and participate in the strike.

The strike was initiated on September 15 with walkouts at three assembly plants located in Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio. Since then, it has expanded to encompass eight assembly plants and 38 parts distribution centers across 22 states.

This is the third time that the UAW has surprised auto manufacturers with strike actions. The initial month of the strike featured set deadlines and an escalation of the strike if progress towards a fair agreement was not made. While this phase did yield significant advancements, the Big Three began to delay negotiations as each deadline drew near.

On October 11, the UAW entered a new phase of the Stand Up Strike by launching an unexpected strike against Ford's profitable Kentucky Truck Plant. The unannounced move prompted 8,700 UAW members to walk off the job at 6:30 p.m., effectively shutting down the plant in Louisville, Kentucky.

Considering that Ford, GM, and Stellantis have collectively amassed a quarter-trillion dollars in North American profits over the past decade, along with a combined $21 billion in the first six months of this year alone, their refusal to settle contracts that provide workers with their fair share of these record-breaking profits has become a contentious issue.