WAYNE, Mich. (WXYZ) — It's day four of the United Auto Workers' strike against Detroit's Big Three and we're beginning to hear more talk of layoffs.
Ford Motor Co. has temporarily laid off 600 employees from the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne. General Motors has announced that it will be idling a plant in Kansas, which is expected to put around 2,000 people out of work.
CIE Newcor, an auto supplier, has said that 293 layoffs are possible starting Oct. 2.
The layoffs come in response to UAW members striking at three auto plants.
Professor of business at Wayne State University Marick Masters told 7 Action News, "If they don’t think the negotiations are progressing enough, then I think they may very well add a few more plants to the strike list and they could tailor that to the degree to which the companies are making progress."
He said that as the UAW adds to the strike, he expects more layoffs will come.
A strike fund is set up to cover UAW members temporarily laid off and Senate Bill 501 allows workers temporarily laid off due to manufacturing shutdowns to continue receiving unemployment benefits without searching for a new job.
The funds and unemployment don't match what many workers currently earn.
