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Category Archives: labor issues
UAW Big Three Strike Continues
“They pretend that the sky will fall if we get our fair share of the quarter of a trillion dollars the Big Three has made over the past decade,” UAW President Shawn Fain says in the video. “They want to say that our righteous fight for a higher quality of life for the working class would wreck the economy. We’re not going to wreck the economy; we’re going to wreck their economy because it only works for the billionaire class.” Fain is the first president in UAW history directly elected by members. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, economy, labor issues, manufacturing, news analysis
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, GM Wentzville Assembly, Ken Zino, Ken Zino on UAW Big Three Strike Continues, Michigan Assembly Plant, Shawn fain, Stellantis Toledo Assembly, UAW Big Three 2023 Contract talks
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UAW on Strike at Select Ford, GM, Stellantis Plants
At all of the US Big Three companies – as of now – their new or slightly revised offers when made public are so far short of the UAW requests that they might as well be non-existent. We will have to wait as things unfold. Big Three executives appear to have thought that business as usual would allow them to continue to do business. Well, not today,,,
Moreover there are signs that a resurgent labor movement in other sectors will support the UAW with selective strikes. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said today “The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, including our members in the carhaul industry, stand in solidarity with the United Auto Workers to get the best contract possible from America’s biggest automakers. Just as the Teamsters saw at UPS, record profits at any company must result in record contracts for the workers who make those profits possible…. All UAW members deserve respect at work and dignity in retirement. They deserve strong wages in a new contract that rewards them for everything they do for the Big Three and to keep this country moving. You can be sure there is no division in America’s labor movement today. And you are urged to remember that Teamsters don’t cross picket lines.” Continue reading
UAW to Start Selective Big Three Strikes at Midnight
UAW President Shawn Fain last night with an audience of ~30,000 on YouTube spoke for more than 50 minutes. His message was simple. “Let’s Stand up and let’s make history,” Fain said. The history he is talking about starts at midnight tonight when the UAW for the first time ever is striking all of the so-called Big Three companies – Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. With defiant language Fain laid out the latest twist in the UAW strategy to “stop the Big Three from killing jobs.” Rather than the traditional single target company, there will be selective and ongoing strikes at all of the companies. Continue reading
UAW Says First Stellantis Contract Offer is Deeply Unfair
“This is a responsible and strong offer that positions us to continue providing good jobs for our employees today and in the next generation here in the U.S. It also protects the company’s future ability to continue to compete globally in an industry that is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles. Because we know this is important to you and your families, we remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching a fair agreement,” Stewart said. Continue reading
Labor Day – UAW Struggles Are Key to The American Dream
Let us pause here to remember and reflect on Walter P. Reuther (1907 – 1970). “There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow man. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well,” he famously said. Reuther built the United Automobile Workers into one of the most awakened and progressive forces in American history. A fierce champion of collective bargaining, Reuther also had a much larger vision of the American society then many of our mere politicians. He viewed the labor movement in the context of community – the whole community. Led by him the UAW fought for civil rights, health care, affordable housing, environmental protections among other things. Continue reading
Unifor Picks Ford Motor Company as Detroit Three Target
Unifor National President Lana Payne said, “Ford was selected as the target because we believe that the company is in the best position to reach an agreement that delivers on the needs of our members and sets a strong pattern for Canada’s auto industry. These negotiations are about reaching an agreement that reflects the historic nature of the transition to electric vehicle manufacturing. That means setting the highest possible standards that protect the livelihoods and job security of all autoworkers now and in the future.” Continue reading
Virtually All Unifor Members Authorize Big Three Strike
“Canadian autoworkers have sent a strong message to D3 automakers that they are united behind our bargaining committees in an effort to improve pensions, increase wages, and secure good, union jobs in the EV future,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. Continue reading
UAW Members Vote Yes to Authorize Big Three Strike
Final votes are still being tabulated, but the current combined average across the Big Three was 97% in favor of strike authorization. The vote does not mean a strike will be called, only that the union has the right to call a strike if the Big Three refuse to reach what the UAW and the Biden Administration call “a fair deal.” Continue reading
UAW and Big Three Makers – Biden Wants a Fair Deal
The Biden Administration – facing more than its fair share of critics, insurrectionists, white supremacists and election deny-ers, among others – has to be wary of an age-old Democratic party tradition as well. When Democrats form a firing squad, they usually stand in a circle. However, the Administration has proven deft at ducking bullets – remember the UPS strike that was going to upend commerce – widely predicted and welcomed by some on the right? It didn’t happen. And Bidenomics has proven so successful that some of the Republicans who voted against it are now taking credit for the jobs and economic activity it is producing in their home states. So much for the red wave, unless it’s waving good bye to civilized discourse and the common good of We The People. Continue reading
General Motors Canada and Unifor Open Contract Talks
The heads of General Motors Canada and Unifor today opened 2023 collective bargaining for a new labor agreement covering ~4200 hourly workers at Oshawa Assembly Plant, St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Center. Canada is GM’s third largest market and Unifor members are ~50% GM Canada’s total employment. Ford and Stellantis executives are also working on new collective agreements with Unifor. Confounding business as usual, for the first time since 1999 Unifor and the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) will be negotiating with the so-called Detroit Three concurrently. Continue reading
UAW Publicly Pans Stellantis Contract Proposal
The UAW used social media last night to update members about the contract talks at Stellantis (formerly Fiat-Chrysler or FCA). Shawn Fain led of course with the oft used observation that “Stellantis just made $12.1 billion in net profits in the first half of 2023. What followed was an update that appears to show that little to no progress is being made. The UAW contract expires on Sept. 14, and it covers 150,000 autoworkers at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares’ compensation has increased 72% over the last four years, the UAW noted. Continue reading
New Pattern Bargaining – UAW and Unifor Strike All Makers?
“This year, negotiations are expected to be more contentious, and UAW President Shawn Fain has alluded that things may be done differently this time around which could mean that they negotiate with all three simultaneously – ultimately leading to a strike against all of the Detroit 3 if their demands are not met,” said Taylor Prodin, Analyst, Americas Vehicle Forecasts, GlobalData*. Continue reading
Teamsters Union Agrees with UPS on New Contract
The Teamsters said today that it has reached what it called “the most historic tentative agreement for workers in the history of UPS, protecting and rewarding more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters nationwide.” The contract raises wages for all workers, creates more full-time jobs, and includes dozens of workplace protections and improvements. The UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee unanimously endorsed the five-year tentative agreement. The agreement increases the pressure on automakers to settle with the UAW under the ongoing contract negotiations. Continue reading
High Noon – UAW Big Three Strike Expands Friday
“I have been clear with the Big Three every step of the way. And I’m going to be crystal clear again right now. If we don’t make serious progress by noon on Friday, September 22nd, more locals will be called on to Stand Up and join the strike. That will mark more than a week since our first members walked out. And that will mark more than a week of the Big Three failing to make progress in negotiations toward reaching a deal that does right by our members, Fain said. Continue reading →