Workers at GM seat supplier in Missouri reach tentative agreement, end strike

By The Associated Press

August 10, 2024 at 12:50 pm CDT

Assembly line worker Sheila Buckley tries to keep cool while on the picket line as members of United Auto Workers Local 282 are on strike against Lear, a car and truck seat manufacturer in Wentzville, Missouri. The strike led to a shutdown at the nearby GM assembly plant. (AP photo/Robert Cohen/AP)

WENTZVILLE, Mo. (AP) — The union representing workers at a Lear Corp. plant in Missouri that makes seats for General Motors vehicles said July 25 it reached a tentative agreement with the company, ending a strike that was in its fourth day.

About 480 workers at Lear Corp. in Wentzville who walked out at midnight July 21 are back at work. They are represented by United Auto Workers union.

“The tentative agreement reached by UAW Local 282 proves, once again, that when workers come together, fighting for fair pay, benefits and working conditions, corporate greed can be beat,” UAW Region 4 Director Brandon Campbell said.

The strike brought production to a standstill at the GM plant in Wentzville, about 40 miles west of St. Louis, where the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize trucks, along with the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans are made.

Speaking to Wall Street analysts, Tim Brumbaugh, Lear Corp.’s vice president of investor relations, said GM is “back to building vehicles this morning, so we couldn’t be more happy for GM and our employees down in Wentzville.”

About 4,600 employees work at the Wentzville GM plant.