The UAW announced it has a tentative agreement with GM that could end the 6-week long labor strike.
A Facebook video announcement said the UAW has won major concessions from the automaker.
UAW, GM tentative agreement
This agreement is similar to the deals the UAW made with Ford and Stellantis. It includes major wage increases.
“This will be the most lucrative contract for GM salary workers in their history,” Fain said. “For the hourly workers, it is the same story. The starting wages will increase by about 70 percent.”
The top wage for starting assembly workers will climb from $18 an hour to over $30 an hour. Also, the top wage will increase from $32.32 an hour to $42.95 an hour.
UAW President Shawn Fain said the negotiating team worked overnight to get this “historic” deal done.
They also announced the UAW is ending their Stand Up strike against the Detroit 3 automakers.
Like the other tentative agreements, the UAW National GM Council will meet to vote on the agreement before it is sent to the membership to ratify. There will be regional meetings and a Facebook live going over the details on these agreements.
“We whole heartedly think our strike squeezed every last dime out of General Motors,” Fain said.
Tiers and temporary workers
Also, the UAW ended tiers at GM.
UAW Vice President Mike Booth stated there were many different tiers throughout GM with different facilities paying different wages. Then, there was an “army of temporary workers spending years trying to get hired on permanently,” Booth said.
“We have slammed the door on the lower class of temporary workers,” Fain added. “Within 90 days of employment all temporary workers will be moved over to full-time seniority.”
These temporary workers will see 51-115% wage increases immediately.
In the future, temporary workers will need just 9 months of employment before moving into a full-time role.
Fain said the Spring Hill Assembly plant going on strike was the last big blow to GM and got this strike settled.
The bottom line
The end of a labor strike is good news for everyone. While new vehicle prices will likely go up, at least you will know be able to find vehicles to buy with manufacturing going back online. Then, there’s the parts distribution centers going back to work meaning existing owners will have access to parts. That’s a pretty big to existing owners.
