By Doug Cunningham

The UAW has set an 11 a.m. strike deadline today (Wednesday) for Chrysler. It doesn’t necessarily mean a strike will happen at that time, but it could if contract talks aren’t progressing enough. Today is also the day that UAW-GM workers wrap up their voting on ratification of the new contract with GM.

UAW Local 909 President, Al Benchich says the GM contract paying UAW new hires half of current wages is a giant step backwards. And he says it's disastrous for UAW organizing drives at foreign-owned U.S. plants.

[Benchich1]: “Fourteen dollars an hour, fourteen-fifty an hour. I made those wages back in 1987, so as far as I'm concerned we're stepping back to the '80's in terms of the wages. It's gonna destroy our organizing drive at the transplants. I mean Toyota and Honda will show their members that, look it, GM workers, the UAW negotiated fourteen dollar an hour jobs. You guys are making in the 20's. Do you really want the UAW to represent you?"

Benchich says the UAW shut down GM in its two-day strike and unions have to use that power more widely to really stand up to corporations and defend living standards.

[Benchich]: “We shut down the largest U.S. industrial corporation coast to coast in a matter of minutes. And unless we're able to do that on a much broader scale in this country, we're gonna to see the continued erosion of jobs out of this country. And the jobs that will remain are going to be lower wage, no benefits."