Jim McGarth, a 41-year veteran of General Motors, leads a group of picketers on U.S. 31 in Spring Hill as the UAW Local 1853 votes on a tentative agreement between the union and General Motors on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

The Membership

For 40 Days, some 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers formed picket lines at more than 30 General Motors manufacturing plants across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Their mission: To leverage a new employment agreement with the auto manufacturer - their employer.

In Spring Hill, Tennessee, the members of UAW Local 1853 took shifts standing day and night at the entrances to the plant. They shared goals of securing full-time positions for more than 150 longtime part-time workers and pushing for a raise in pay and expanded benefits.

Under the beating sun, pouring rain and an early winter cold snap, they stood and waved to ensure their southern Middle Tennessee neighbors were aware of their unified effort.

“I am not fighting for myself,” said Chris McCumber, a 20-year veteran of GM. “I know I'll never get this money back. It's so the next generation does not have to go through this.”

The Spring Hill facility, one of GM’s largest in North America, employs 398 salaried positions and 2,630 hourly positions at the 7 million square-foot facility on a 2,000-acre property that served as a plantation. Workers there assemble the Cadillac XT5, the GMC Acadia, the right-hand drive Holden and the Cadillac XT6, the manufacturer's first three-row SUV.

Six weeks after the strike began, UAW members approved a new contract proposed by GM bringing the action to an end. However, the 3,300 Spring Hill union members voted against the proposal, asking for more.

“This is not just for GM,” said Mike Herron, the chairman of Local 1853. “This is about winning jobs for America.”

Not all saw the end of the strike.

Days before an agreement was reached, Roy McCombs, a 55-year-old union member, died after being struck by a vehicle while manning a picket line on an overpass leading to the plant’s entrance.

A wreath was placed where the tragic accident occurred. Attached to the wreath waved a note, printed in a light blue script a message read “With deepest sympathy.”

It was signed “The Membership.”

Chad Poynor leads a group of General Motors employees during the first full day of picketing in a national strike at the Spring Hill, Tenn., plant on Monday, Sept. 16, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A sign inside a pickup truck parked at the entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., reads “GM: We invested in you. Now it’s your turn to invest in US!” on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW Local 1853 Chairman Mike Herron speaks with picketing union members along Nashville Highway in Spring Hill on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW member Charles Rochelle, a 43-year employee of General Motors, watches cars pass as he pickets off Nashville Highway in Spring Hill, Tenn., in the fourth week of a national strike of the international car manufacturer on Monday, Oct. 7, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A UAW picket sign rests on an overpass above U.S. 31 in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Oct. 13, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

Dan Chase pickets on an overpass leading to the south gate of the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

More than 200 UAW workers and those who work for suppliers to the Spring Hill General Motors plant received 20,000 pounds of food at a mobile food bank hosted by The Well Outreach at Lowe’s in Spring Hill, Tenn., Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

The Well Outreach volunteer Ian Meht, 14, hands out garbanzo beans during a mobile food bank in the Spring Hill, Tenn., Lowe’s parking lot on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A tractor-trailer passes picking signs from UAW Local 1853 in Spring Hill, Tenn., on the final day of the national strike on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

Two UAW Local 1853 members on strike warm up by a barrel fire at a picketing site on U.S. 31 in Spring Hill, Tenn., on the final day of the 40-day strike on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A UAW member stands at the picket line at the north entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

Indy Lenoir, a 37-year employee of General Motors, walks the picket line at the north entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

Heather Gillentine, center, a General Motors employee of seven years, stands on an overpass at the southern entrance to the Spring Hill plant waving at passing cars traveling below on U.S. 31 during the second day of a national protest at the Spring Hill, Tenn., plant on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW member Jodie Basset and her horse Prince picket on an overpass leading to the south gate entrance of the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW Local 1853 members Melanie Emerine and Michelle Learn picket General Motors in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW Local 1853 member Dave Capraro, a 43-year veteran of General Motors, pickets in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A shadow of a striking UAW Local 1853 member is cast off of Nashville Highway in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW members picket on Nashville Highway in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW member Craig Prove, who has spent more than 40 years working for General Motors, pickets on U.S. 31 in Spring Hill, Tenn., as the UAW Local 1853 votes on a tentative agreement between the union and General Motors on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

Troopers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol stand on the US 31 overpass where a UAW member was struck by a car earlier in the day in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. (Mike Chrisen / The Daily Herald)

United Auto Workers member Ashton Smith holds a picket sign at the south entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., at the start of the third week of the national strike of the auto manufacturer on Monday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

From left, UAW workers Homer Smith, Stanley Smith, Johnny Shearon and Monica Smith wave to passing drivers while standing on an overpass to the south entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., at the start of the third week in the national strike of the auto manufacturer on Monday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW members strike into the night on an overpass overlooking Highway 31 at the south entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A UAW member takes a break from picketing to make a phone call on an overpass overlooking U.S. 31 at the south entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW member Kim Bond, a more than 40-year General Motors employee, pickets on Nashville Highway in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

UAW Local 1853 member Barbara Kirkelie pickets on U.S. 31 in Spring Hill, Tenn., on the final day of the 40-day strike of General Motors on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)

A bouquet rests at the south gate entrance to the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, where UAW member Roy A. McCombs was struck by a passing vehicle on the Nashville Highway overpass. (Mike Christen / The Daily Herald)