Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers hugs Patricia Eckel as he visits the picket line at Stellantis’ Toledo Assembly Plant in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. told members that he had been prepared to announce a strike at a Texas GM plant, but the company made last-minute concessions.
“This week, GM did something that was unthinkable until just today. They agreed to put the future of this industry under our national agreement,” he said, referring to EV battery plants. “This victory is a direct result of the power of our membership.” The status of workers at the battery plants planned by GM and other automakers has been a key interest of the union during contract negotiations. The union wants to ensure that workers employed at future factories will have the same protections as other UAW-represented workers.also said automakers have upped their pay raise offers from 9% at the start of the strike to 23%.
But the union chief said more talks are needed. The Big Three automakers — GM, Ford and Jeep manufacturer Stellantis — have yet to deliver on the union’s tentpole demands such as a 40% pay increase and the reintroduction of pensions for retired workers.declared a strike expansion at GM and Stellantis plants.
Union members have started to use the fund as automakers begin layoffs due to the strike. Ford and GM have laid off thousands of employees and have collectively lost millions of dollars in revenue since the start of the strike on Sept. 14.