Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union have expressed frustration over a limit placed on a $50,000 buyout retirement program negotiated during last year’s labor strike. GM has limited the buyout plan at two percent per plant for the first phase of the program, which means some GM workers ready to retire now will need to wait until later phases of the program in order to receive the $50,000 lump sum. As a result, some union members are voicing their frustration to UAW leadership, pointing out that workers at Ford and Stellantis enjoy uncapped buyout programs per their respective agreements.
According to a recent report from Detroit Free Press, the cap means that only 900 of the roughly 46,000 UAW members currently working at GM will have access to the buyout plan during the initial program phase. It’s estimated that 7,800 GM hourly workers are currently eligible for retirement.
The cap has prompted some UAW members and local union leaders to demand that UAW President Shawn Fain address the cap, pointing to uncapped programs at Ford and Stellantis. Members of the Local 14, who operate the GM Toledo Propulsion Systems plant in Ohio, have been asked to call the UAW Solidarity House in Detroit and “leave a voicemail” voicing their frustration to UAW President Fain and UAW VP for the GM Department Mike Booth regarding the two-percent cap. UAW membership at the Toledo facility accounts for roughly 1,350 GM workers.
The specifics of future phases for the retirement buyout program have yet to be released, leaving many workers in doubt as to when they will retire.
In addition to representing roughly 46,000 workers at General Motors, the UAW represents a total of 146,000 workers across all three of the Big Detroit automakers (General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis). The UAW engaged in a series of walkout strikes across all three automakers last year amid contract negotiations, leading to widespread production disruptions and political involvement.
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Comments
Oh well.
What did they say about the union dude that led the strike? That he was person of the year? He screwed the workers. Keeping GM stock stagnant hurts the workers mostly.
It’s time for these car companies to move their manufacturing to non union states. Unions were good during the start of the century when employees had limited rights. All the UAW has done is drive up the costs of manufacturing due to their employees demanding these ridiculous wage increases and stipulations.
Ford has already announced that any future plant construction will likely be outside of the US due to the strikes that the UAW recently had.
I assume that you’re talking about the last century and not this century. If Union representation went away the workers would be right back to where they were in the early 1900’s. Union representation even keeps wages and conditions elevated in the non-union plants. Look at what the Japanese owned plants in the US did after the UAW settled the last contract. They all gave wage increases to the employees. So the non-union workers got raises because of the Union’s presence without paying dues.
Union workers are consumers of goods. If they have money in their pockets they are going to spend it, maybe even on some product that you are involved with. As JFK said: “A rising tide lifts all boats.”
Nothing wrong with unions. The only problem with unions is that they protect the lazy and useless from getting fired.
I agree, I just bought a 2023 GMC Canyon AT4 for $55,000 and the build quality is terrible and some of the technology works when it wants to. I already have buyers remorse and got the truck on 12/17/2023.
The line worker only installs the technology. GM is the one that designs it.
The assembly quality is just as terrible as the engineering quality. I worked at a dealer for 23 years. Every truck that dropped of vehicles from the factory contained vehicles with mismatched parts, unplugged connectors, unfastened clamps on hoses, garbage stuffed behind panels, hidden obscenities’ written on the vehicle, missing/loose parts and fasteners, extra parts and fasteners thrown into the interior. It’s constant.
My new car was made in Germany. I don’t know if they have union workers there or not but the build quality was excellent. Sadly, something I could not say about some new American cars I have bought.
I believe that the Automobile Assembly in Germany is 100% Unionized by the IG Metall Union.
I worked in final process and know that your 23 years of experience is just bullcrap. Yes, some stuff may get out, but VERY,VERY few. They go through lots of testing and inspection. You sound like a whining exaggerator.
I respectfully disagree Jeff. Foreign mfg. producing in this country, in southern states, do not treat their workers well because they are wonderful people. They treat their workers well because they have to. All workers in this country benefit from the high standards of wages and working conditions set by collective barganing. I am a retired UAW member but I have never been a big cheerleader for the union. I am however, aware of and grateful for .their contributions in affording a middle class lifestyle for millions
There is only about 20 man hours in The assembly of a truck. So if wages went to 100 per hour that would be 2000.00. On a 80k to 100k truck. That’s 2 percent or less. You need to look at the big picture.
Waa, I can’t retire, but I got my profit check.
I would say that if you are claiming you cannot retire because of a one-time, lump sum payout of $50,000…. you are most likely not in a position to retire in the first place.
About the only way $50,000 would make a difference is if you have the money to retire, but still owe $50,000 on a mortgage you want to pay-off before pulling the trigger.
When they say that some members of the union are upset about the retirement deal, what they mean to say, that the big wigs of the union are upset about the deal. They don’t care about the little guys and if these companies move away, then they will tell the little guys, oh well I guess that’s that. Sucks to be you
Apparently you have a reading problem. No one ever said they can’t retire. These workers who are eligible for the SAP are entitled to it.
Don’t forget if any of these folks owe fidelity they take it right off the top
I received the same package in Oshawa in 2016 when the Camaro went to the alpha platform in the U.S. My date was pushed back a few times and I was ok with it. It’s not like I was working for free. I don’t think people are claiming they can’t retire without the $, it’s just a nice bonus. Who wouldn’t want to retire with a full pension and then a $50,000 “how do you do” on top of it? I took my $ over 2 years in 2016 and ‘17 to save on tax and took my $20,000 car voucher in ‘18 and bought a Yukon XL Denali. Saved almost $30,000 with my discount. Every little bit helps.
As a worker in one of GM’s factories the last 17 years it’s easy to see most these fellas can’t afford to retire even with the 50k. 40 years and all they have to show is a 700$ truck payment and a bad drinking habit.
I retired in 30 years. Had plenty put aside in 401K for retirement along with pension. Those stuck not being able to retire I would say 90% is their own fault. Yes, some have had things happen out of their control. But many just spend all their money and bonuses like crazy.
So when UAW man of the year Fain said he would back biden the person trying to kill the combustion engine, maybe he’s looking ahead at maybe secretary of labor post in the biden administration. What these EV are costing car companies makes what they got from the strike a drop in the bucket
The members and media praised Fain “Man of the Year” and Biden as heroes. So now the retirement package is in limbo, Biden is still pushing EVs, with China and Mexico building new factories for the EV rollout. If Biden is re-elected in November, the US auto industry is history. Wake up, union workers your jobs are in jeopardy.
The sad part is most of the UAW members don’t have the intellect to figure that out.
I just wonder how much you paid out at the end of the year when you file your taxes on 50.000 because your going to pay taxes on it?
Yes you’re right. The government makes out. They take their part off the top.
I started my tenure with the General in Oshawa about the time Bob White split the Canadian workers from the UAW and created the CAW. He was adamantly opposed to profit sharing and said that during lean profit years, ( which GM had a lot of during the 80s and 90s and 2000s) it was irresponsible financially to do so. He was right! We took COLA (cost of living allowance) instead, adjusted quarterly for the duration of our contracts and then rolled that increase into our base rate every contract time. When I retired it was estimated we made $140,000 more than a comparable UAW member did taking profit sharing. The UAW has never had the best interests of its membership at heart!
Stop being so jealous, less than 10% of the vehicle cost is labor,get your facts straight if you don’t like it, too bad, you have no idea what it’s like working in automotive factory,obviously,enjoy your job at Walmart, loser. And yes I’m enjoying my $50,000 traveling to Europe all this year.
You could not find Europe on a map…
😂😂😂😂😂😂
WAAAHHHH!
So tired of these cry babies. Most overpaid employees ever!
So Britt80. Instead of being a “Crybaby ” and whining about someone’s elses wages you obviously don’t have a clue about, better see if your boss is looking over your shoulder as you’re posting messages here on your companies time. Better yet, If we’re so overpaid, why dont you apply for a job at GM since it’s so easy? IF you have the spine to handle anything other than a keyboard all day.
Love it!
Why on earth would he want to work at GM for the union?
He makes more that the UAW cats already…
And works from home 4 days a week.
He is laughing at you…
When does the retire people get there money
When does the retire people get there money
There are thousands of employes eligible to retire. The automakers can’t let them all leave at the same time. The factories would either all shut down or be producing vehicles with terrible quality
UAW has left the plant floor years ago, I’m a Delphi auto worker left behind by the UAW allowed us to be sold to China, bankrupted our pension, stopped us from flowing back to GM and stole our retirement health coverage after GM paid international UAW 47 million dollars. Along with many other downfalls,if you’re not in the big 3 the union is just a overpriced title with zero representation. Fain and Biden will just succeed in crippling the country
The UAW & THE BIG THREE are crooked entities the low lights are never shown before ratification then U learn the truth SOL. No FB live from S Fain about the SAP/SOL program
After taxes that $50,000 is not even a down-payment on the over-priced vehicles they build.
99% of the Universe would be better off with no UAW.
Had our roll out meeting today , what a joke. HR is telling us that this is the only buyout this year. From June to August as of now. Maybe our Union bargaining team should have taken a class on negotiating 101 before they brought is terrible contract to the members for a vote. What a misinformed Labor Department down at the GM Warren Tech Center. And what a surprise not one Union representative was there. Thank you S. Fain for nothing
Another lie from Biden and Fain. When will the members wake up? 50 years ago, Unions had a positive impact on the middle-class worker. Today it’s all political, follow the money. Fain and Biden could care less about the members. Just sit back and look at what’s happening in the auto industry, it’s not creating jobs for the middle class, they are restructuring to build EVs, and more international factories all of which favor China, Mexico, and other countries. Your union dues are not going to help you keep your job or get better benefits, they are going to help to put you out of a job. Are you better off today than you were four years ago? Anyone with common sense will say no.
4 years ago trump was saying that Covid was just going to disappear or that maybe people should inject disinfectant into their bodies or that the statistics are showing so many Covid cases because we are doing too much testing. So yes, I think that we are much better off than we were 4 years ago!
If you don’t want an EV, don’t buy one. BTW, the Saudi’s just announced that they are drastically cutting oil production. What do you think that is going to do for gas prices?
Oil, natural gas, automobiles…. You name it, COVID taught businesses around the world the true dynamics of supply and demand. Now the Saudi’s are about to drive oil back over $100/ barrel. It’s profit seeking, nothing more. Here in Alberta, for every $1 per barrel increase in oil, the province brings in another $600 million a year!! That’s why we have a surplus of $11 billion and B.C. is going $28 billion in the hole. Can’t imagine our coffer reserves when it goes to $100 a barrel.
This 2% between GM and UAW is what we call a sweetheart agreement. GM isn’t worried that they can’t run it’s another way to limit and control. Here’s the thing, take the money out of the equation they all could retire next month if they wanted. So what’s the difference, They have offered several buyouts over the years and this is the first time it’s limited.