This week, the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union began outlining demands ahead of contract negotiations with the Big Three Detroit automakers (GM, Ford, and Stellantis). UAW leadership highlighted automaker profits and executive compensation as justification for its own high demands. UAW contracts with the automakers will expire in September.
In a virtual town hall live-streamed over Facebook and Zoom, UAW leaders called for an end to the tiered wage system, stronger job protections against plant closures, and reinstated cost-of-living increases. Leaders didn’t shy away from striking a confrontational tone, saying that soaring corporate profits and millions in compensation for CEOs like Mary Barra, Jim Farley, and Carlos Tavares meant that workforce concessions were no longer a requirement.
“They can afford our demands, and we expect them to pony up,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “This is our time to get our fair share of the pie.” Fain added that the Big Three’s profits accumulated over the course of the last decade would allow the automakers to collectively purchase every professional baseball, basketball, and hockey team, with billions to spare.
The upcoming negotiations are expected to be rather contentious as the UAW fights for increased wages and benefits, while automakers work to keep costs down in the face of billions invested in the transition to electric vehicles. Nevertheless, union leaders didn’t refrain from threats of a strike.
GM workers on strike in 2019
“The choice of whether or not we go on strike is up to the Big 3,” said UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock. “The companies know what our members deserve, and they can afford to give it to us. They can work with us to make sure we get what we are owed, or they can fight us, and we will be forced to take action.”
The UAW currently has $825 million available in its strike fund, while strike pay was recently increased to $500 per week.
UAW President Fain also promised greater transparency for UAW members heading into talks.
“We’re going to do things differently this round of negotiations. This fight’s not going to be won by [leadership]. This fight’s going to be won because our members are informed, our members are organized, and they’re united,” Fain said.
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Comments
UAW: denial of the world around them. Drive around Detroit, Gary, or any other midwestern industrial town. They see that those towns are dying.
Either they make wages comparable to the transplants, or fade and die out.
So facts UAW doesn’t realize they’re hurting Midwest esp Michigan
As long as big three management is compensated like the transplants that’s fine. Anytime management wants to lock the UAW out they can. You want to see some poorly built vehicles? Let gm management fire up the lines. Mary can be part of a bankruptcy for the second time in her career!
The union needs to be very mindful if they ask for a lot now they will pay for it in job losses later. The auto industry will see some hard times ahead and the automakers are trying to prepare for it.
They need to stop worrying about what others make and plan on future job security. Mary’s pay would not be a drop in the bucket of the big picture.
you must be a millionaire. people like us cant afford to feed our families with the current cost of living and the rise of inflation while CEO’s give themselves bonuses in the tens of millions how is that for preparation for “HARD TIMES AHEAD” also we are rallying for a contract that includes job security
Those towns died when factories left and went to China and Mexico for cheaper labor and bigger profits. The money from blue collar American workers stopped flowing in those towns. The UAW taking a pay cut only makes the ppl at the top and shareholders richer. So where does it stop? The cost of everything is rising. The big 3 build and sell cars around the world. Trucks built with cheaper labor in Mexico still sell for the same as one built in America they’re making more off them in fact. Same with cars built in South Korea and so on. The UAW is very aware of the world around them! You keep selling your time for less!
Any “fair share of the pie” the UAW receives will be passed on to the consumers by GM, which is what any corporation does to offset increased costs. Meanwhile the transplants, in right to work states, have a decided advantage when it comes to labor costs. We lost Framingham Assembly here years ago, not to mention the loss in the rest of the manufacturing sector. Examples in my city include steel, abrasives, machine tools and textiles.
GM bought back 2billion of its own shares in 2022 if you divide that by the number of workers it’s 38k for each employee. They should be investing in plants and workers not buying back their own shares.
Top executives should be ashamed of what they make, including Fain, the fattest cat. I agree with negotiations, but not striking. Walk off the job and I would fire you all. Unions are job killers.
It’s incredible how everyone complains about what upper management makes. How much do Fain and the others make? The right-to-work states where vehicles are produced with non-union workers are doing fine. I am retired and early in my career I was part of the union and they did nothing for me. In fact, they used to be on my butt because I was too productive and making others look bad. The bottom line, they incentivize people to be lazy, because they know it’s very hard to be fired. In September they will strike, and the assembly lines will shut down for a month or two. They will come to an agreement and it will take another month to ramp up. In the end, the consumer will have to wait a few extra months to get the vehicle they ordered and there will be a price increase to compensate for the new contract. The union executives get a big pay raise while the members get little to nothing. I will get a lot of thumbs down which is fine. Look at the union’s history for the last 50 years and tell me what it has done to make America great.
UAW has be stupid in this world,reason why I don’t buy a BIG3 is there way out priced.the president of UAWthink he can get every red cent out of BIG3 he will see people going stop buying them.i won’t buy any I only buy that not union made.union are has so many recalls.good luck UAW .
If you hate union made vehicles, why are you on a gm site?
Duane have somebody help you write your responses if you are going to call somebody stupid.
Don,
Don’t be so hard on Duane, he’s got management potential.
Duane,
I see gm is learning the turdota way by hiring trolls. AKA : social influencers. You still need to get past fourth grade to be a decent troll. I’d say your doing the UAW a favor by not buying one of their vehicles. On the other hand you’re a perfect match for the Chinese built turd gm is trying to peddle!
This will be interesting. I don’t have a dog in this fight. However, I don’t blame the Unions for wanting more. When you have CEO pay skyrocketing exponentially in millions and millions dollars. I would want more pay or bonuses too. I believe their last bonus was a record. I’m sure Union members are going to want those profit sharing bonuses to continue.
” I don’t blame the Unions for wanting more.” When DON’T unions want more? Yes, CEO pay is out of control in this country – Japan has a better model. Just imagine if unoins stop screaming for more money and CEOs receive much smaller compensation packages more consumers might actually be able to afford their products!
I see more older chevy trucks than any in foreign piece of garbage
Thats a fact Chevy trucks last
CEO pay is too high. However UAW pay and legacy costs are higher than foreign company US non-union workers from every major Detroit competitor. Competition is barking at Detroits door. The BEV wars have started. The UAW is going to lose jobs, period. Detroit management and the UAW better read the room.
UAW = Untied against Workers
The unions support the democrats who kill jobs. Ever would why?
Your lucky to get a quarter of the bonus money it’s taxed at 27% along with your paycheck that week.
Union crooks and cancer to business.
The UAW leaders are like our leaders in Washington. Everything revolves around MONEY.
What about the retirees
UAW has one of the best union pensions in the US. You want more?
The Ford retirement is $55 for every year of service. So 30 years times 55 that $1650 a month, or 19,800 a year. Hopefully every UAW member has everything paid off. Because they are going to be living in poverty.
UAW negotiations should include pension or else no deal
The world is changing fast. Unions can’t control corporate greed, but if planned wisely, they do force companies to share the wealth with employees. Eliminate unions and our pay rates & benefits will erode quickly. Non-union companies compete in the market to secure talented workers because the companies want to keep unions out. Eliminate the unions and we’ll be like third-world countries with no representation. Want to rely on Congress to get your wage increase? Not me. Unions aren’t perfect, but better than government promises.
How about getting back what the retires gave back over the last 10 years
I retired in 1997 and the first two or three contract we got small increases, the UAW leaders decided they couldn’t represent retirees anymore and started filling their own pockets! Thankfully that era has closed! Retirees have been losing ground every since! My pay is smaller now than when I first retired! I voted for Shawn Fain so he could get the union back to representing the retirees! I put my complete faith in him and his new union to get retirees what we deserve! This President caused inflation is eating us alive!!! More power to the UAW!
I don’t know that the UAW will get all they are asking for, but hat I do know is how much UNIONS are responsible for safe workplaces, overtime, 40 hour work weeks, vacation days, paid sick leaves. Union members have better job safety protections and are more secure. Unions are good for workers, they’re good for the community, and democracy. The transplant workers enjoy good pay, benefits, and a host of other benefits due to the existence of UNIONS. Without the presence of unions, management would not hesitate to beat the hell out of their workers, and when done with them, kick them out the door. PERIOD
Just a note. Non-union employees building vehicles in the US for every major Detroit competitor, seem to be contented. They have resisted UAW efforts. Maybe because the UAW membership has declined steadily as they FAILED to protect jobs. Treat and pay your employees well so they don’t need a union, don’t pay exorbitant money to management……a profitable, successful business model. Currently Detroit and the UAW are on an unsustainable path.