As of 11 a.m., the United Auto Workers will be on strike against General Motors. The deadline was imposed after intense negotiations have failed to produce favorable contract details including benefits for retiring workers. So why should you care?
The strike, if it goes into full effect, could involve over 73,000 GM employees. Currently, CNN is reporting workers walking off the job in factories in Michigan, but no official word has come down from either GM or the union.
Typically, the UAW uses contract details from one negotiation for the other auto companies (Ford and Chrysler), so the effect could be even larger.
This would be the first major UAW strike in many years. Americans have to take a stand for a quality pay and quality benefits. One of the big issues for UAW workers is health care. Many complain of the "legacy" costs of UAW workers, but if the company had funded the benefit accounts to the levels required at the time, then the problem wouldn't be as magnified as it is today.
I will add more as details become clear.
UPDATE: CNN is reporting it is official.
UPDATE 2: As dougymi points out in the comments, if you would like to know more of the history and thought behind this strike, please read the excellent diary by ManfromMiddletown.