GM employees are concerned that the automaker’s move towards electrification will result in lower salaries.
Per a recent report from The Detroit News, GM is increasing the workforce of its GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC subsidiary, as well as the workforce for Ultium Cells LLC, GM’s battery cell manufacturing joint venture. Employees at both groups could be paid less than equivalent union-represented employees.
The workforce shift comes amid heavy investments as GM works towards becoming the EV market leader in North America. The expansion of the GM Subsystems Manufacturing workforce and Ultium Cells workforce is believed to be a way to keep a tiered wage system, a system which the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union has actively strived to dismantle.
Subsystems employees currently work at a variety tasks at several different GM plants. However, top wages are around $17Â per hour, far below the $31 per hour earned by union-represented employees.
“It just seems like it’s another step in the big plan,” said GM Spring Hill worker Ken Larew. “With having seniority members not being able to get out to these better jobs, it seems like a way for them to get rid of seniority members or have seniority members not willing to stick around as much, which opens the door for again, more inexpensive labor.”
At present, a new Subsystems agreement is currently in negotiation between GM and the UAW, including at production facilities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan.
General Motors recently announced $7 billion in fresh investments, including $6.5 billion to support electric vehicle production, $2.5 billion of which will go towards the construction of a new Ultium Cells battery plant in conjunction with joint venture partner LG Energy Solutions. At present, Ultium Cells employees are not covered by the national GM-UAW contract.
Despite the concern among employees, experts believe that the two-tiered wage system may be necessary to ensure that GM is competitive in the EV space, especially as rivals Ford and Stellantis ramp up their own EV efforts.
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Comments
Well if youre not competitive, then youre out of a job… so figure it out. UAW workers make more than counterparts, especially with benefits.
#FJB
$17 vs $31 an hour ! Kinda supports the value of unions to workers !
GM CEO Mary Barra was given a $20 Million Dollar Bonus … For Lying…
There’s always that, in case EV pays less than ICE.
That’s largely because the EV workers are temps. GM knows the EV push dies in 2023 along with chinas great reset. They are kowtowing to masters they know will be gone soon. Why be serious about it?
that is what you get for voting in a liberal to be president who sides with the goofy greens. just wait till there is not enough electrical power to charge your EV batteries. we have brownouts now when people fire up their home A/Cs because of taking coal fired plants off line and the libs shut down the natural gas pipelines. these new meters they are installing on your home will shut off your power when the load gets to big for the grid
Go suck on an exhaust pipe.
go back to your mother’s basement. when you get out in the real world you will see things are not like people want it to be.
Motorman you are probably right, this country was rolling right along! However, this country made the BIG mistake of voting in this idiot Biden! Fortunately we only have ten more months to deal with this feckless clown! Now back to reality the union knows they’ve got GM over a barrel the Corvette is in high demand. They already had a forty day strike and still couldn’t resolve there issues! What makes you think there going to resolve the same issues unless there willing to give and take? I was a member of the APWU for many years (American Postal Workers Union) we were very big at one time! However, not anymore it’s most unfortunate the union has to represent the dead beats and the good employees suffer for it! I personally think you need to negotiate in good faith but, more then anything be thankful you have a great job! And please if your going to strike please build my 2022 Torch Red Coupe and send it on its way I’ve been waiting for a year!
my first job out of high school was a tool and die maker apprentice that paid $0.97 per hour and i had to join the union. between the union dues and having to buy safety toe shoes my first paycheck was very small. i owned 11 new corvettes in my lifetime and if the mrs was still with me we would be driving a C-8.
Time’s past you by bud.
Aww Steve has mommy issues. What a douche
According to the timeline, Barra announced that GM was going EV while Trump was still in office…
I bet you still hunt for your dinner with a spear !
Mary Barra didn’t make enough money from GM, she had to take a part time job on the board of Disney for $375,000.00.
GM, Ford, VW etc., are investing billions in new battery and vehicle plants. ICE is a dead man walking.
Thank you Motorman! That was pretty simple wasn’t it!
Lee, obviously your unaware the House and Senate come up for re-election this year! Believe me I’m aware that Mr. Feckless is in office for 4 years! However, they will probably turn the House and Senate and that means it’s over!
the auto big shots are meeting with old joe today to see if the big rebates he promised EV buyers is still on. without his build back better tax raising programs getting thru congress he is coming up a little short of $$$ to pass around he promised everyone during the campaign.