INDIANA – The United Auto Workers Labor Union has reportedly revised its demands in ongoing contract negotiations with the Big Three Detroit autoworkers, including GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
The UAW counteroffer includes a pay raise to the mid-30 percent range over the course of the next four years, with one source indicating a demand as low as 36 percent. The UAW was previously demanding a rise of more than 40 percent, including a 20 percent increase upon ratification of the new contract, and a 5 percent annual increase per year in the four years that followed, compounding to a 46 percent increase by 2027.
The current auto labor contracts are set to expire on Thursday at 11:59 p.m.
UAW President Shawn Fain has expressed a desire to reach a deal by the deadline to avoid a strike. Fain is willing to be more flexible on union demands in order to come to an agreement with the automakers. But he is adamant that autoworkers should see a significant boost in wages and benefits and more prioritization of their work-life balance.
If a deal isn’t reached Thursday, a national UAW strike could be called at each of the Big Three simultaneously for the first time in history.
There are about 146,000 autoworkers represented by the UAW today. If a simultaneous strike is called for Ford, GM, and Stellantis, a maximum of 146,000 autoworkers could strike.
Here’s how many UAW-represented autoworkers are employed at each company:
- At Ford, there are more than 57,000 UAW workers.
- At GM, there are about 46,000 UAW workers.
- At Stellantis, there are about 43,000 UAW workers.
There are 550 union members of the Bedford GM Powertrain plant and approximately 703 employees in total. The Bedford plant is served by two unions the United Auto Workers which represent the production workers and the International Brother Electrical Workers which represent the skill trades.
Autoworkers represented by the union can choose not to strike if one is called. However, if a UAW-represented auto worker chooses not to strike or crosses the picket line, they will not get weekly paychecks from the union. Striking union members will be paid weekly from the union’s strike fund.
