A profile of Volvo Group: What the striking New River Valley workers are up against
Nearly 3,000 workers in Dublin, Virginia, are entering the second week of their strike against Volvo Trucks North America. The strike began June 7 after the workers rejected by 90 percent a second pro-company contract backed by the United Auto Workers union.
In the first week, it became ever more apparent that workers confront a two-front war. On the one hand, the corporation cut off health care benefits to workers and their families, attempted to continue production with strikebreakers protected by Virginia state troopers, and sent out letters of termination to intimidate strikers. On the other, the UAW has done everything to isolate the striking workers and has done nothing to inform autoworkers and other workers about the strike. Although the UAW sits on a strike fund worth nearly $800 million, it plans to keep workers on starvation benefits of $275 a week.