General Motors (GM) and the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union have reportedly come to an agreement over issues raised at the GM Fort Wayne assembly plant in Indiana. Workers at the facility previously authorized a strike action if a resolution wasn’t found. The Fort Wayne facility produces the Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, with roughly 1,300 units rolling off the line daily.
The disagreement between General Motors and the UAW arose over accusations that the automaker violated its agreement with the labor union after it assigned floor managers to union positions, including repairs, parts handling, and inspections. The UAW also accused General Motors of shifting seniority member’s duties. In response, members of UAW Local 2209 at the Fort Wayne facility voted to authorize a strike, with over 75 percent of those voting in support of the strike measure.
Now, according to a report from The Detroit News, General Motors and the UAW have reached an agreement to avoid a possible strike at the facility. According to a Local 2209 newsletter, the automaker agreed to move seniority members back to their original positions, while taking management off hourly jobs, as well as other resolutions.
“They could fall backwards on everything they agreed to,” Local 2209 Shop Chairman Rick LeTourneau told The Detroit News. “I’ve seen that before, when they think the pressure’s off” and resort to “bad habits.”
“I’m guessing that they’re going to be sincere and follow the agreement,” LeTourneau added.
General Motors did not comment on the latest development. Back in October, the automaker stated that “GM has and will continue to comply with the provisions of the UAW-GM National and Local agreements. A strike is neither warranted nor legal in these circumstances.”
The strike authorization followed a dispute earlier in October after General Motors laid off 250 temporary workers at the facility after failing to reach an agreement with the UAW to extend the workers’ employment. However, the recent strike authorization was not related to the decision to lay off the 250 temporary workers, but rather General Motors’ subsequent decision to assign senior staffers to fill in the gaps and place non-union management in union positions.
Comments
ok, what am I missing here. Would you not want floor managers to be in the union? So the UAW does not want floor managers to be in the union? I have to be missing something here.
According to labor law, managers and the workers they o order cannot be part of the same bargaining unit- in this case the Local.
“Floor managers” can’t be in the union. They are salaried workers, foremen in the terms used while I was an employee (hourly).
The corporation doesn’t allow them to be union.
I suspect what was going on here is they were putting foremen on the line to fill in for absent, vacation or sick hourly personnel. They tried that while I was there (Fairfax, Leeds, Oklahoma City) during my 34 year career. Didn’t work then either
The old say goes , if your foreman can give you a job or an order to do something then thats a union position. The foreman or a salary position personnel can not do the job.
It must be tough running major vehicle assembly plants ! Im all for higher wages and safety ! Most workers are making $40 + an hour and on top of meeting gov regulations you have the UAW watchdogs and there money grabbing hands ! This is what stifles american owned corporations !