GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Less than two days before the United Auto Workers union is set to go on strike against the Big Three automakers, insurance employees that fall under the UAW are already picketing for a deal of their own.
"Don't get sick tonight, Blue Cross is on strike," chants a crowd of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan employees.
It's a chant that downtown Grand Rapids residents will have to get used to.
UAW Local 2145 is on strike outside of the BCBS location on Monroe Center, picketing against the outsourcing of their jobs to other states and countries.
"We're trying to get some particular language centered around that to make sure that the jobs are not being eroded," says Janice Hilliard, President of UAW Local 2145. "Because we had, at one point, we had like about 5,000 employees. Now we're down to 1,400 employees. So, we want to stop that bleeding of that outsourcing."
They also want fair pay that increases at a faster pace.
"We want to be able to have our wages where we can progress quicker, versus 20 to 25 years," says Hilliard.
So, how do Blue Cross Blue Shield employees fall under the United Auto Workers union?
"We're not the autos, we're considered T.O.P., which is technical, office and professional," says Hilliard.
Those T.O.P. employees include insurance industry and health care workers. They began negotiating on July 17 and went on strike Wednesday at midnight after a deal failed to go through.
Downtown visitors showed support throughout the day, honking as they drove by and stopping to ask questions about the UAW.
"That's a really good feeling," says Hilliard. "And people just say, keep up the good fight, you know?"
Support the picketers welcome, because those chants could stick around for a while.
"We're prepared to be out here as long as it takes," says Hilliard.
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