UAW ratifies contract with Big Three automakers

Update:

• A majority of workers at General Motors, Stellantis and Ford Motor Company voted to ratify record new contracts following a six-week strike led by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. 
• The agreements are now locked in through April 2028 and include a 25% raise in base wages and cumulatively increase the top wage by 33%. 
• A total of 64% of workers at the Big Three automakers voted to ratify the new contracts, according to the UAW.
• When compounded with cost of living adjustments, the top wage for auto workers under the new contracts will come out to more than $42 per hour. 
• The new contracts also take the time to reach the top wage from eight years to three and increase the pay of temporary workers by 150%, among other things. 

UAW strike overview: 

• Who: The United Auto Workers announced an expansion of its strike against General Motors and Stellantis at 38 locations across 20 states.
• Why: The UAW is looking for a new contract and said it made substantial progress negotiating with Ford but expanded its efforts with GM and Stellantis.
• Where: The UAW strike is affecting workers across the United States.

(Sept. 26, 2023)

The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced it will be expanding its strike against General Motors and Stellantis while saying that it has made substantial progress in negotiations with the Ford Motor Co.

The UAW said it would expand its Stand Up Strike to General Motors and Stellantis at 38 locations across 20 states, adding 5,600 Big Three workers to the approximately 13,000 who are already on strike.

The UAW said that it is still striking at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, but it wouldn’t expand its efforts against Ford after progress has been made.

“As you know, we gave our Members Demands to the company two months ago,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “They wasted a whole month failing to respond. But there has been movement. In particular, we’ve made real progress at Ford. We’re not there yet, but I want you to see the direction that Ford is going, and what we think that means for our contract fight.”

Ford negotiations have led to COLA, other improvements, UAW leaders say

Rawsonville Components and Sterling Axle employees will have the same wage scale as assembly workers moving forward and cost of living adjustments (COLA) were reinstated for Ford workers for the first time since 2009, the UAW said.

The UAW and Ford negotiations also led to ​​members, including temporary workers, receiving income security for up to two years, with health care, after indefinite layoffs. Ford also agreed to increased profit sharing that would have led to a 13.3% increase for the average employee in payouts last year. 

“All that represents serious movement on tiers, on COLA, on pay, and on job security,” Fain said. “To be clear: we are NOT done at Ford. We still have serious issues to work through. But we do want to recognize that Ford is serious about reaching a deal.”

The UAW agreed to pay $355 million in 2015 in a retiree health plan class action settlement, resolving claims that the labor union made unauthorized changes to the employees’ health plan, thus allegedly violating collective bargaining agreements.

Are you or your family part of the United Auto Workers? Let us know in the comments.

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