Nearly 50,000 General Motors workers slated to go on strike

Almost 50,000 General Motors workers are slated to strike work across the US after the nation`s biggest carmaker failed to reach a pay and conditions deal with their union, reports said on Sunday. "We are standing up for fair wages, we are standing up for affordable, quality health care. We are standing up for our share of the profits," United Auto Workers` (UAW) GM union Vice President Terry Dittes told reporters in Detroit, the BBC reported.

The UAW`s four-year contract with GM ended this weekend, and the two side had been discussing wide-ranging issues, including wages, healthcare, profit sharing, and job security for a new agreement. The union also wanted the carmaker to reverse its decision to close down its assembly plants in Ohio and Michigan. The sides had set a Saturday night deadline to reach agreement.

The strike, scheduled to begin Sunday midnight (local time) is the first in GM since 2007. GM, which claims that it offers the best wages and benefits in the industry, is yet to comment on the strike, but had said that it was carry on negotiations, though there was no clarity if any more talks were planned.