UAW to Present Checklist of Financial Calls for to Automakers This Week

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DETROIT — The United Auto Employees union will current a protracted checklist to Normal Motors, Ford and Stellantis when it delivers financial calls for to the businesses this week, the union’s president says.

And the message from newly elected chief Shawn Fain is that the businesses are making huge earnings and might afford to pay up.

“Document earnings imply file contracts,” Fain advised members in a Fb Dwell presentation the night of Aug. 1.

He reiterated doubtlessly pricey calls for to finish completely different wage tiers amongst employees, double-digit pay raises and restoration of cost-of-living pay, outlined profit pensions for all employees, and restoring retiree well being protection.

UAW President Shawn Fain Dwell Stream Replace 8/1/23 from Detroit, MI https://t.co/vj4fURzxVX

— UAW (@UAW) August 1, 2023

As well as, Fain stated the UAW will ask that corporations pay employees for doing group service or different work if their vegetation are closed, an obvious restoration of the a lot maligned jobs financial institution that was eradicated in 2009.

He additionally proposed a 32-hour work week so union members might spend extra time with households and having fun with life.

“I do know these calls for sound bold,” he advised employees. “However I additionally know that the Massive Three can afford them.”

The union additionally desires bargaining with electrical car three way partnership battery factories to be folded into the UAW nationwide settlement. Presently joint ventures are bargaining individually and the UAW represents solely one of many vegetation to date, in Ohio.

Calls for have been offered to Stellantis on Aug. 1. GM will get the checklist on Aug. 2 and Ford on Aug. 3, Fain stated.

The union represents 146,000 employees on the three automakers whose contracts expire at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14.

Stellantis stated in a press release Aug. 1 that it’s going to overview the calls for “to know how they align with our firm proposals and the place we are able to discover frequent floor.”

The automaker, with 43,000 union members, stated it has been clear from the beginning that it isn’t in search of concessions.

“As now we have accomplished for greater than 70 years, we are going to work constructively and collaboratively with the UAW to seek out options that may end in a contract that’s aggressive within the world market, responsibly addresses worker issues and meets the wants of our clients,” the corporate stated.

GM, which has 46,000 UAW-represented employees, stated Aug. 1 that it’s going to overview the calls for as soon as it will get them on Aug. 2.

Ford, which employs 57,000 UAW employees, greater than both competitor, stated it appears ahead to working with the union on “inventive options throughout this time when our dramatically altering trade wants a talented and aggressive work drive greater than ever.”

Collectively the Detroit Three made $20.7 billion in web earnings within the first half of this yr, which Fain stated occurred whereas employee pay has remained stagnant or regressed. He railed in opposition to CEO pay in contrast with that of employees and stated it will take 16 years for a newly employed employee at GM’s three way partnership battery plant in Ohio to make as a lot as CEO Mary Barra makes in a single week.

The calls for come as the specter of a number of strikes looms massive over the talks. Fain has advised employees they’re poised to make main positive aspects, however they should be able to stroll picket traces if wanted.

The businesses say they’ve good relationships with the union and contend that their wages and advantages are the perfect within the trade. As well as, executives have argued that they’re beneath big monetary stress to develop electrical autos and to pay billions for EV and battery factories.