UAW Vice President Mike Booth announced that the second round of the GM Special Attrition Program (SAP) is now open. The application window opened on Thursday, November 22nd, 2024, and closes on January 5th, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.
A Special Attrition Program is a contract negotiated between a union and a company, in this case, the UAW and GM. It provides incentives for employees to voluntarily leave the company, which benefits both the company and the workers. It’s a way for GM to reduce workforce costs in a controlled manner without resorting to layoffs while the workers leaving the company get some extra financial support.
This SAP provides a $50,000 benefit for retiring, pension-eligible GM workers who apply for it. It’s available for everyone eligible for retirement as of March 31st, 2025. Mike Booth’s statement says anyone with questions about the SAP benefit should be directed to their local union bargaining committee.
The UAW successfully negotiated to broaden the scope of the SAP to cover more workers. “We continue to improve the SAP. In our first round, all 1,412 GM production workers who signed up received the benefit,” Booth said. “However, of the 545 skilled trades workers who expressed interest in taking the SAP, only 142 were eligible in the first window. Our Skilled Trades members wanted more, and we delivered. In this round, anyone who is eligible and applies will receive the benefit, including all skilled trades and production workers.”
As we reported in May, those retirees who took the SAP in the first round received their $50,000 cash payments over the summer. GM originally wanted to cap buyouts at two percent of staff at each unionized plant, which triggered widespread dissatisfaction among union members. Ford and Stellantis offered similar SAP packages with no limit on buyout numbers, which likely played a role in GM eventually doing the same.
“We have committed that all interested eligible employees will have the opportunity to receive an SAP during the life of this agreement,” GM spokesman Kevin Kelley said in a statement in May. Per this update from the UAW, it appears that General Motors followed through on that commitment.
Comments
GM just keeps on shrinking and Barra keeps being lauded for it. I always thought her Triple Zero plan was a boondoggle that’d cost GM dearly. Unfortunately it’s the rank-and-file employee who loses when the CEO and SLT make unwise choices.
Fifty years ago gm employed TWICE as many hourly employees in the city of Flint, Michigan than they do in the entire US today and about 7000 LESS employees than Ford employs in this country. Pretty soon GM will be called jm- Junior Motors 😂
We are now in the era of “doing more with less”. With future advances in AI and automation, it will not get any better. Offering an incentive to retirement eligible folks is a way to reduce headcount without having to resort to layoffs. Seems like a good way to go.
Not true. GM has been in the era of doing “less with less” for a couple of decades now. I don’t think people fully understand how broad the Corporation once was, especially beyond their core automotive brand assets (which is essentially all that is left)…
Amen to that.
Mary needs the money for her bankroll, folks.
The reason trucks are so expensive is because these employees make twice what most people make and the company has to cottle them because of the union’s string arm tactics . It hurts everyone else in the country . These trucks should be 30% less. Although I would love a new AT4 x etc it won’t happen and I would be more inclined to just get a Toyota HI Lux for $10,000 if they would let them into this country and sell them for what they do everywhere else in the world as they should.
Maybe you should join a Union and organize at your workplace so you can afford the vehicle that you want. Why drag down and criticize other workers for their ability to belong to a Union and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with a living wage, pension and health benefits?
If you would like to purchase a more expensive vehicle you should think about getting a better paying union job.
Wages including benefits are less than 10 % of a vehicle cost to build on average.
Glass and plastic make up the greatest cost .
Besides all the engineering and equipment investment to manufacture parts etc .
Ya but you can flap your yap and show us what you don’t know .
DONT FORGET ..Executive bonus’ and salaries! lotta waste at the top
GM has approximately one salaried employee for every two hourly- Union employees.
Most of the salary employees walking around all day looking for something to do to justify their salaries. Most are not value-added and just a burden on the corporation.
God bless the UAW.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all.
Yrs ago I went to the GM plant in Framingham MA hard working people probably a lot of Executive probably making a lot of money cut Them Down . Suvs Big truck’s get back to Seadans . A lot of stuff you don’t need.
“The reason trucks are so expensive is because these employees make twice what most people make….”
The real reason they’re so expensive is because it sustain’s the automakers profitability while at the same time paying for their massive investments in EV’s. In effect, you’re paying for an EV whether you want one or not.