FORT WAYNE — The United Auto Workers union has filed a lawsuit against General Motors in federal court for breach of contract.
In the filing, made in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, the UAW is asking the court to order GM to transfer seniority union members to the Fort Wayne assembly plant as part of its contract. The union claims GM is circumventing the contract by using temporary employees.
The UAW in a statement said there are approximately 1,000 seniority employees on layoff nationwide, including 690 employees laid off at the Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant. Many of those employees have applied to transfer to the Fort Wayne plant.
"UAW members negotiated a binding agreement and we expect General Motors to follow the contract they agreed to and GM members ratified," Terry Dittes, UAW vice president, Director GM Department, said.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday.
In the court filing the UAW lays out clauses in the current contract, which expires in September, that should give open positions to laid off seniority employees.
"It is recognized that the hiring of new employees in one location while there is a surplus of seniority employees in other locations is not in the best interest of the parties," the agreement reads. "Therefore, the parties will provide eligible seniority laid-off and active seniority employees an opportunity to relocated to UAW-GM facilities outside of their area, with particular emphasis on placing employees from closed or idled facilities."
The agreement said GM can use temporary employees as vacation replacements and other occasions like product launch, hunting season and awaiting transfer of laid off employees from other locations.
The union authorized using temporary employees through Nov. 30, 2018, but not past that date, according to the court filing.
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