There has been no shortage of auto-related strikes in 2008, and that trend doesn’t look like it will let up any time soon. Teamster drivers at Performance Transportation Services Inc. — the nation’s second largest auto hauler — went on strike as of Monday morning.
Unlike the UAW strikes this year, the Teamster’s strike will affect several automakers, from General Motors to Toyota . Performance Transportation hauls vehicles for most of the major automakers in the U.S., delivering about 2.7 million vehicles per year.
The strike stems from a court ruling that allows Performance Transport to cut pay of its union drivers by 15 percent, according to Automotive News. The Detroit-based auto transport company has operated under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice since 2006, largely due to the sagging number of U.S. auto shipments and the rising cost of fuel.
GM and Ford both say they have backup plans to ensure vehicles make it to dealerships — although company representatives failed to give any details — while all other automakers have yet to comment on the situation.
