mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

UAW Deal May Include Electric Pickup Truck For Detroit-Hamtramck

Complete details of the proposed deal between the UAW and General Motors are still not available, with union leaders meeting with GM negotiators and executives in Detroit today to finalize the agreement.

Some information on the contract has come to light through reports published by the Wall Street Journal and the Detroit Free Press. According to the outlets, the deal will keep GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant open, with the automaker set to assign production of its forthcoming electric pickup to the Michigan facility. The plant, which currently builds the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac CT6, will have to be re-tooled to accommodate the battery-electric truck. The Free Press says other details, such as how many trucks will roll off the line annually, how many workers it will need and when it will be re-tooled, are still unclear.

The future of Lordstown Assembly in Ohio is still murky. The Free Press was not able to confirm if it would remain open in some capacity, though the situation doesn’t look good for its former employees. Rumors are swirling that instead of assigning battery production to Lordstown, as was previously reported, GM plans to erect a new facility in the area as part of a joint venture with another company—likely an established battery manufacturer. Employees hired to work at this plant would be represented by the UAW, however.

Former Lordstown workers convened in Detroit Thursday, telling The Free Press they would vote no to the proposed contract if it did not include production allocation for the former Chevrolet Cruze production site.

“If there’s nothing in this contract for Lordstown, my vote is no. If they won’t give it to us now then I don’t think we should settle the contract,” one former Lordstown employee told the publication.

In addition to an electric pickup for Hamtramck, the proposal also may include a ratification bonus of $9,000, 3-to-4-percent lump-sum wage increases in alternative years of the four-year deal, full-time employment for temp workers when they have been with the company for a certain time and two weeks’ vacation for more recent UAW hires. The automaker will also invest a so-far undefined amount in its U.S. manufacturing operations, adding around 9,000 jobs.

GM CEO Mary Barra and UAW boss Gary Jones

UAW workers would have the option of returning to work while the contract ratification vote is held, or remaining on the picket line. More information with regards to the contract is expected to be released sometime Thursday.

Stay tuned to GM Authority for a full rundown of the UAW’s new contract with General Motors, along with more GM-related UAW news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. Kind of insane they aren’t already making an electric truck, tbh. GM needs to move faster with electrics or Tesla will further eat their lunch.

    Reply
    1. what lunch? anybody making money on EVs yet?

      Reply
  2. Let’s be honest a battery cell/pack facility only needs a fraction of the workers of Lordstown and the type of work is very different. The production of battery cells is highly automated in a clean room type of environment.

    Reply
  3. Tesla’s truck is “vaporware”. At least GM has a truck history and experience to get the EV version out sooner. I guess it will be an EV Colorado with the Bolt system.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel