(WWJ) There's more fallout from the ongoing United Auto Workers strike against Detroit's Big Three, in the form of layoffs.
Officials at Stellantis said Wednesday that because of the strike at the Toledo Assembly Complex, in Toledo, Ohio, it will immediately temporarily lay off 68 employees at the machining plant in Perrysburg, Ohio, due to storage constraints.
The automaker said it also anticipate similar actions at facilities at Kokomo Transmission and Kokomo Casting in Kokomo, Indiana affecting roughly 300 employees at those two facilities, for a total of more than 350 layoffs.
In a statement, Stellantis said the company "continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations."
This news comes on day six of the strike; and, while negotiations continue, there's no indication that either side is budging on the key points.
Union members are planning a big rally Wednesday at Stellantis' U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, after union members picketed outside Stellantis' Toledo Assembly Complex on Tuesday.
Kurt Kruger, who does quality control at the Toledo plant, said employees there should be making more money.
"The wage structure for my younger co-workers when they're coming in right now... it's just not fair that they're working next to people who are making twice as much as they are, you know?" he said. "And there's just not a whole lot of light at the end of the tunnel."
At this time, the strike is limited to three plants. However, UAW President Shawn Fain said more could be added by Friday if no substantial progress is made.
Ford worker Walter Robinson said UAW members are digging in to get what they deserve.
"The people here are the people who came back to the plants after two months of being off for COVID," Robinson said. "When everything else was closed, we were in here working. There was nothing open, and we were in here working. They were at home, and we were in here working."