BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, MI -- As UAW Local 699 workers walked a picket line outside Nexteer Automotive on Tuesday, Dec. 8, in Saginaw County, the union local's president had a message for them.

"Stay strong. This is a process, and we're going through the process. And have solidarity and faith in your union," Rick Burzynski said.

The strike began at midnight Tuesday after the union and officials with the company could not reach terms on a new labor contract.

Nexteer has not released any new comment about the strike.

Workers could be seen outside the sprawling manufacturing complex on Holland, near Interstate 75, carrying red, white and blue picket signs that read "UAW on Strike" and "UAW on Strike Unfair Labor Practice."

They wore winter coats, hats and gloves as a woman walked through the crowd passing out hand warmers.

Passing motorists honked their horns, presumably, to show support for the workers.

Related: UAW workers picketing outside Nexteer Automotive as strike begins

Nexteer is a global automotive steering company that employs 12,000, including 5,000 in Michigan. More than 3,000 work at the Nexteer complex in Saginaw County. Formerly Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems, Nexteer was sold in 2010 to China-based Pacific Century Motors.

UAW Local 699 represents about 3,350 Nexteer Automotive workers in Saginaw County and retirees. Nexteer's engineering staff remains on the job at the facility.

Production and trade workers are taking turns picketing for six-hour shifts at the Holland location and at another plant on M-81, Burzynski said.

Related: Pedestrians hit by vehicle as Nexteer strike continues

Workers will be compensated by the union while on strike, he said, receiving $200 "strike pay" from the UAW International Union after a period of time. The international union also provides health care benefits to workers while they are on strike, he said.

Local 699 membership in October voted to authorize a strike, should they need to. Burzynski said he couldn't remember the last time workers at the plant went on strike, and he said it had never happened as long as it has been Nexteer.

Contract rejected by a landslide

The union and the company reached a tentative agreement last week, but members on Sunday, Dec. 6, rejected the proposed contract by a landslide.

The outcome was 399 "no" votes to eight "yes" votes for trade workers, and 2,704 "no" votes to 72 "yes" votes for production workers.

Burzynski said members rejected the initial tentative agreement primarily because of concerns related to wages and benefits.

Before the strike began, the union made a second proposal, but it was rejected by the international union, Burzynski said.

"The international looked at it and they feel that our members, from what they heard, (they) decided that our members would not accept it," he explained.

The union then made a third proposal, which was submitted to Nexteer on Monday, along with a warning to members that the current contract would terminate at midnight Tuesday, Burzynski said. Union officials now are waiting for a response from the company, he said.

Mark Decker, vice president and chief human resources officer for Nexteer, issued the following statement Monday:

"Nexteer was informed today that the tentative agreement reached between the company and UAW Local 699 was almost unanimously rejected by our workforce. While this is disappointing, it is a clear message from our employees and one we are considering as we evaluate the strategic options for the Saginaw facility.

"This agreement included $300 million in new business, $50+ million in new wages, health care insurance for $0 employee-contributions and the immediate full time hiring of 300+ temporary workers.

"This tentative agreement was designed to provide stability for our workforce and allow for future growth and investment in Saginaw. We stand ready to continue the dialog with our union representatives."

Whenever the union and the company are able to come to another tentative agreement, the membership once again will have the opportunity to vote, Burzynski explained. The process will be ongoing until both parties come to an agreement that "everybody can live with," he said.

In the meantime, the strike will continue.

"Until we can get it resolved, we'll just stay right out there," Burzynski said.

Heather Jordan is a reporter for MLive/The Saginaw News/The Bay City Times. She can be reached at 989-450-2652 or hjordan@mlive.com. For more news, follow her on Twitter.