TOLEDO, Ohio — Days after the UAW came to tentative agreements with automakers Ford and Stellantis, UAW President Shawn Fain addressed union membership on Sunday in a video address.
Flanked by his leadership team, Fain and Vice President Chuck Browning detailed the agreement they came to with Ford Motor Company, an agreement which will likely be similar to the deal made with Stellantis.
“Our job is to roll the details out so you can make an informed decision,” said Fain.
Fain and Browning repeatedly highlighted what they called the “historic” nature of the deal saying the value of gains in the tentative agreement represent more than 4 times the gains in the previous contract.
“For every member, the money will be significant, for many others it will be life changing,” said Fain.
Fain and Browning then went on to lay out some of the details in the agreement.
Wage increases
Some of the highlights of the deal include a General Wage Increase (GW) of 25% over the course of the contract with an immediate 11% raise upon ratification.
For example, the top rate for a production worker would go from $32.05 currently to $42.60 at the end of the contract in April 2028 when reinstated cost of living adjustments are also included.
The starting rate for full-time workers will be over $30 at the end of the contract.
In addition, the time it will take for workers to reach the top rate will go from the current 8 years down to 3 years.
There will also be a $5,000 ratification bonus.
Temporary workers
In addition to raising the pay for temporary workers, active temps with 90 days of employment will be immediately given permanent status. In addition, going forward, temporary workers will be made permanent after 90 days of employment.
This means a temporary worker could go from making about $16.67 an hour currently to making over $40 by the end of the contract, representing a 145% raise.
Temps will also be eligible for profit-sharing, bereavement leave, jury duty leave, as well as the $5,000 ratification bonus.
Retirement
Although the tiered nature of retirement benefits remains in place in the tentative agreement Browning said current retirees, active members with pensions, and active members with 401Ks will all see increases to their plans.
What happens next for Stellantis workers
The union’s agreement with Stellantis which was announced on Saturday, and which will affect thousands of workers at Toledo’s Jeep plant, the Dundee Engine plant and Toledo Machining in Perrysburg, was not specifically discussed in the address.
Stellantis workers, including those at the Jeep facility in Toledo, will begin returning to work on Monday.
Dorris Jones, Community Services Chairman for UAW Local 12 says local leadership will meet with national leadership on Thursday to discuss the details of the Stellantis contract.
It’s unclear when Stellantis workers will vote on their proposed contract although worker's WTOL 11 spoke with on Saturday said they had confidence in Shawn Fain and union leadership.
"It really is a movement. I mean he has really gotten us together as one, going out on strike, fighting for what we believe in - a fair contract," said striker Robert Vasquez, who said he's planning on voting yes on the Stellantis contract.
General Motors
GM remains the only company of the Big Three Detroit automakers to not reach an agreement with the union. Workers at Toledo Propulsion Systems and General Motors Defiance Plant are still awaiting a deal to be announced between GM and the union.
“Historic victory”
Beyond the details of the agreement, Fain and Browning repeatedly heralded the strike as a transformative moment in labor relations, whether workers ultimately decide to accept the contracts as negotiated.
“I no longer see a union on the fence, in decline, or under threat,” said Fain. “I see power. I see the future of the working class. I didn’t do that, Chuck didn’t do that. You. The membership did that.”
Whether Ford workers are convinced the negotiators did enough to justify the more than seven week strike, and how that affects a vote by Stellantis workers, remains to be seen.
You can read more on the details of the Ford agreement, including details on profit-sharing, COLA, and retirement increases here.
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