This is day twenty-five for the United Auto Workers’ (UAW) strike vs. General Motors (GM). A recent Detroit Free Press says at least three items have not been resolved:

1. How long it takes “in-progression” workers (the second tier) to move up to their top level. It’s currently eight years to move from $17 an hour to $28 — and their ceiling still has a lower wage and benefit package than those who were hired before 2007.

2. What to do about the temps,who are paid $15–$19 an hour for the same work and often work as temps for years.

3. How to have apprenticeships for skilled trades when GM has lumped many trades together under one generic classification.

At least the first two of these are key issues for the strikers (along with not paying more for their health insurance). The union has said it wants a “path” to permanent status for the temps — to ease them in over time. A recent offer from GM was to make a temp permanent after three years of uninterrupted service — a laughable proposal, as temps are laid off often.