As of October 30th, 2023, The United Auto Workers strike is finally over! After over a month of picket lines and stalled factories, the United Auto Workers have reached tentative deals with all three Detroit automakers. It took a lot of perseverance, but the union says these are some of their biggest contract victories in decades.
The strike started September 15th, with over 50,000 workers walking out against GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Their top complaint? Stagnant wages over the past 10 years, even as the car companies raked in profits.
In order to enact a full fledged strike, workers sacrificed, getting by on just $250 a week from the union's strike fund. But they were determined to get the automakers' attention and show that unions still have power.
Finally, after 6 long weeks, deals emerged. Ford was first, followed by Chrysler and now GM, ending the strike.
The contracts deliver major gains: an immediate 11% raise, then 3% more annually. By 2028, top wages will exceed $42 an hour - a huge 25% jump. The new contract agreements also introduce essential bonuses for workers such as more 401k contributions, and better treatment of temps.
But the wins for UAW don’t stop there. A major win for the workers was getting Ford and Chrysler to agree that employees can legally strike if the companies decide to close plants. This gives the union critical leverage if the automakers try to shift production elsewhere and put local jobs at risk.
Additionally GM will now bring battery plant workers under the main UAW contract. In the past, these employees made far less, with starting wages as low as $15 an hour. Now battery factory staff will get the same top-scale pay and benefits as other GM workers.
The deals also accelerate how fast new hires can reach the maximum wage rate. Before, it took up to 8 long years being stuck on lower pay tiers. But the new contracts slash that to just 3 years, allowing new employees to reach wage equality more quickly.
The workers still need to ratify the deals, but after decades of feeling powerless, this shows what can happen when labor sticks together and makes their voices heard.
As one UAW leader put it, through their solidarity and sacrifice, the workers achieved quote “one of the most stunning contract victories since the 1930s.” Proof that banding together as one and standing up for yourself still pays off in the end.
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UAW, GM confirm tentative agreement that brings in subsidiary and JV workers | Detroit News
UAW reaches deal with GM, ending strike against Detroit automakers | Reuters
