Georgia autoworkers begin striking at Clayton County warehouse

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - United Auto Workers at a Stellantis warehouse in Clayton County say they’re willing to strike for as long as it takes to get their demands met.  

Bryan Truax, a worker at the warehouse, says he’s happy to sacrifice what would normally be a relaxing Sunday with family to man the picket line outside of Stellantis’ auto parts distribution warehouse in Morrow.  

"On Sunday, a lot of times, me and my kids would go bowling or we could be going to the zoo or walking around my neighborhood… I could be at a friend's house grilling hamburgers, hot dogs. But I'm here fighting for economic justice," Truax said. 

Truax says despite working here for 20 years, he still doesn’t have some of the same benefits as his more senior coworkers.  

"I do not have a pension or, you know, any insurance when I leave or any of the other benefits that some of my top-tier people enjoy," he said. 

Truax said the company’s wages have not kept up with inflation and he wants to be able to pay for what his four daughters need at school. 

"I want, when they need something or want to do something for school - if there's a band trip or there's a fine arts trip or there's some art program my daughter wants to do this summer - I want to be able to pay for it," Truax said.    

On Friday, UAW leadership called for workers at this center in Georgia as well as at 37 other auto parts distribution centers across the country to join the expanding strike with the possibility of expanding it even further if the negotiations don’t go their way.  

Leaders of Local 868 here say they’re here now 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to prevent any undermining of the strike.  

"We don't need any people crossing our picket lines to go in and do the work that we would usually do. We don't need any parts getting out so that it has the maximum impact on the company," said Joseph Bradford, the recording secretary for Local 868. 

Despite having to spend their weekend here, workers told FOX 5 they don’t consider it a burden.  

"This is a small sacrifice for what we believe in," said Local 868 Vice President Lesia Vaughn. 

Truax says that’s in part because they’re not just doing it for themselves but for the next generation of autoworkers.  

"This sacrifice means that an autoworker 20 years from now can send their kids to band camp and can buy an instrument for their kids," he said.  

In a statement Friday, Stellantis said they made a very competitive offer and have yet to receive a response back from the union and that they will continue to bargain in good faith.