Editor's Note: These updates only go through Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. For the latest updates, visit our newest blog by clicking here
The United Auto Workers union has ratified agreements with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
Below are updates through Oct. 12
October 12, 2023
8:00 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain will provide an update on the strike at 10 a.m. You can watch it live here at 10 a.m.
October 12, 2023
2:30 p.m. EDT
Ford held a media update on the impact the UAW's sudden strike at the Kentucky Truck Plant will have on their operations. You can watch the update below.
October 11, 2023
10 p.m. EDT
In an update on X Wednesday night, UAW President Shawn Fain explained why union leaders authorized thousands of workers at a Kentucky plant to join the strike. In a video in front of Ford's headquarters in Dearborn, Fain said the union met with the company on Wednesday and Ford presented the UAW "the exact same offer they gave us two weeks ago."
"In our position, they're not taking us serious. We've been very patient working with the company on this. At the end of the day, they have not met expectations. They're not even coming to the table on it. So at this point, we had to take action," Fain said.
The video posted to social media shows Fain making the phone call to the UAW local president for the Louisville facility for workers to walk out of the plant.
"We've been doing things a certain way. Every Friday, we've been doing Facebook Live updates to make announcements, so we had to choose to do things differently this way and that's what we've done this time," Fain said.
The Stand Up Strike just hit Ford's biggest plant. Here's how it went down, and why 8,700 members at Kentucky Truck Plant took action.#StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/mzO0AZGMKS
— UAW (@UAW) October 12, 2023
6:40 p.m. EDT
In a surprise move, the UAW announced Wednesday that 8,700 union workers at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant joined the strike and walked off the job around 6:30 p.m.
“We have been crystal clear, and we have waited long enough, but Ford has not gotten the message,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. “It’s time for a fair contract at Ford and the rest of the Big Three. If they can’t understand that after four weeks, the 8,700 workers shutting down this extremely profitable plant will help them understand it.”
The UAW also said Fain will host a Facebook Live Friday at 10 a.m. "to give bargaining updates and take further action if needed."
According to Ford, the Louisville facility employs 9,251 employees, 8,711 of them are hourly. The plant produces the Ford F-250–F-550 Super Duty Trucks, Ford Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator.
The company released the following statement on the strike at the truck plant:
The decision by the UAW to call a strike at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant is grossly irresponsible but unsurprising given the union leadership’s stated strategy of keeping the Detroit 3 wounded for months through “reputational damage” and “industrial chaos.”
Ford made an outstanding offer that would make a meaningful positive difference in the quality of life for our 57,000 UAW-represented workers, who are already among the best compensated hourly manufacturing workers anywhere in the world. In addition to our offer on pay and benefits, Ford has been bargaining in good faith this week on joint venture battery plants, which are slated to begin production in the coming years.
The UAW leadership’s decision to reject this record contract offer – which the UAW has publicly described as the best offer on the table – and strike Kentucky Truck Plant, carries serious consequences for our workforce, suppliers, dealers and commercial customers.
Kentucky Truck is Ford’s largest plant and one of the largest auto factories in America and the world. The vehicles produced at the Louisville-based factory – the F-Series Super Duty, the Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator – generate $25 billion a year in revenue. In addition to affecting approximately 9,000 direct employees at the plant, this work stoppage will generate painful aftershocks – including putting at risk approximately a dozen additional Ford operations and many more supplier operations that together employ well over 100,000 people.
This decision by the UAW is all the more wrongheaded given that Ford is the only automaker to add UAW jobs since the Great Recession and assemble all of its full-size trucks in America.
October 9, 2023
6:10 p.m. EDT
Stellantis announced on Monday that hundreds of more employees were temporarily laid off.
The company said 570 more employees were laid off on Oct. 6 as a result of the United Auto Workers union strike. Stellantis says storage constraints caused the layoffs.
The newest layoffs are impacting two facilities: Engine Complex in Trenton and Kokomo Casting in Indiana.
Now, a total of 640 employees are laid off.
“Stellantis continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations,” part of a statement from Stellantis said.
1:59 p.m. EDT
Ford Motor Company said 71 workers at the Livonia Transmission Plant were asked not to report to work starting Monday due to the strike at the Chicago Assembly Plant. Officials said the Livonia Transmission Plant must reduce its production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago.
“While we are doing what we can to avoid layoffs, we have no choice but to reduce production of parts that would be destined for a plant that is on strike,” said Bryce Currie, vice president, Americas Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, Ford Blue. “Strike-related layoffs are an unfortunate result of the UAW’s strategy.”
1:48 p.m. EDT
General Motors updated its UAW negotiations website, showing off highlights from its latest offer to the union.
According to GM, the offer includes a 20% wage increase for most employees over the life of the agreement, the reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments, improved retirement security and more.
12:50 p.m. EDT
The Anderson Economic Group updated its loss estimates for the UAW strike against the Big Three, saying they estimate a total loss of $5.5 bill through the third full week of the strike, which ended at midnight on Oct. 5.
According to the agency, it tops the current-century record for losses due to an auto industry strike, which they estimated at $4 billion for the 2019 UAW strike against GM.
The estimated losses include:
- Direct Wages Lost - $579 million
- Detroit 3 Manufacturer Losses - $2.68 billion
- Supplier Losses - $1.6 billion
- Dealer and Customer Losses - $1.26 billion
7:00 a.m. EDT
At 7:00 a.m. Monday, UAW members at Mack Trucks in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida walked out to strike after rejecting a tentative agreement with the automaker.
Read the UAW's statement below:
After voting by 73% to reject a tentative agreement, nearly 4,000 UAW members at Mack Trucks in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida walked out on strike at 7 a.m. on Monday, October 9.
“I'm inspired to see UAW members at Mack Trucks holding out for a better deal, and ready to stand up and walk off the job to win it,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The members have the final say, and it's their solidarity and organization that will win a fair contract at Mack.”
After weeks of failing to address core economic issues, the company reached a tentative agreement with just minutes to spare before the initial deadline on October 1. On Sunday, October 8, Mack Trucks UAW members voted down the deal. UAW leadership then issued a strike notice to the company, citing “many topics [that] remain at issue, including: wage increases, cost of living allowances (COLA), job security, wage progression, skilled trades, shift premium, holiday schedules, work schedules, health and safety, seniority, pension, 401(k), healthcare and prescription drug coverage, and overtime.”
UAW Locals 171, 677, 1247, 2301, and 2420 in UAW Region 8 and Region 9 represent workers at Mack Trucks in Macungie and Middletown, Pennsylvania; Hagerstown and Baltimore, Maryland; and Jacksonville, Florida.
The Mack Trucks strikers bring the total number of striking UAW members to over 30,000 workers across 22 states.
October 6, 2023
5:30 p.m. EDT
Auto analyst Dave Zoia from auto publication WardsAuto joined 7 Action News Friday evening to discuss GM's last-minute agreement with the UAW and the latest in negotiations with the union and the Big Three.
You can watch the full interview in the video player below:
3:45 p.m. EDT
General Motors released a statement following the latest announcement from UAW President Shawn Fain:
“Negotiations remain ongoing, and we will continue to work towards finding solutions to address outstanding issues. Our goal remains to reach an agreement that rewards our employees and allows GM to be successful into the future.”
3:35 p.m. EDT
Stellantis released a statement following a Facebook Live update from UAW President Shawn Fain on Friday. Stellantis outlined its most recent proposal as negotiations continue:
- Provide significant wage increases of 21.4% when compounded through 2027 for all full-time hourly employees
- Implement immediate 10% wage increase for most employees upon contract ratification
- Accelerate time to reach top wage rate for In-Progression employees (4 years, instead of 8 years)
- Raise starting wage rate for Supplemental employees to $20/hour, a 26.7% increase
- Eliminate wage tiers for Mopar employees
- Increase paid holidays to 18 in some years with the addition of Juneteenth
- Provide cost-of-living adjustments calculated every quarter, added to every hour earned and included in weekly paychecks
- Invest billions in the U.S. to provide job security
- Contribute additional $1 billion in retirement funding
- Provide significant improvements to the Company’s 401(k) contribution for In-Progression employees
"Additionally, the Company and union have discussed various solutions to address job security for all of our employees, including those in Belvidere. Beyond our significant economic offer, we also proposed a number of other enhanced benefits," part of a statement from Stellantis said. "With more than 8,000 of our colleagues on the picket line, some now in their third week, we are committed to continuing this momentum, so we can get everyone back to work building the vehicles that our customers want and that enable their freedom of movement."
Stellantis shared a letter sent to employees Friday that can be read below:
STLA Employee Letter 10-6-23 by WXYZ-TV Detroit on Scribd
2:43 p.m. EDT
United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain detailed the latest in the negotiations between the union and the Big Three automakers on Friday, citing breaking developments shortly before his 2 p.m. Facebook Live.
Fain said after threatening a possible strike at GM's Arlington Assembly, the automaker reportedly agreed to place electric battery manufacturing under the national agreement.
”We are winning, we are making progress, and we are headed in the right direction," said Fain.
He said the strike is working, but they are not there yet with the Big Three.
No new strike targets were announced on Friday.
12:00 p.m. EDT
Speaking to the Economic Policy Institute’s Economic Analysis and Research Network conference ahead of his scheduled Facebook Live announcement Friday afternoon, UAW President Shawn Fain said in his 41 years in organized labor, he’s never seen the membership this united.
Fain also spoke about how changes they’ve made in the union’s leadership structure are influencing how they’re approaching bargaining with the Big 3, saying they brought in “changemakers”.
Fain also said they’re just getting started and promised to continue bargaining as they are now.
UAW President Shawn Fain delivers remarks at EPI’s Economic Analysis and Research Network conference https://t.co/LKVuisYVuU
— Economic Policy Institute (@EconomicPolicy) October 6, 2023
5:30 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain is set to hold a 2:00 p.m. Facebook Live for what is being called a "stand up announcement." It's unclear at this time what he will announce, but the last three weeks have seen expansions of the strike against the Big 3.
Fain teased the announcement Thursday evening with a posting on the social network X, the former Twitter, with a Bachelor themed picture.
Tune into @UAW's Facebook page at 2pm on Friday, October 6th to see who gets the rose! pic.twitter.com/evsr7ebs3w
— Shawn Fain (@ShawnFainUAW) October 5, 2023
Friday's announcement comes as both the UAW and the Big 3 say they are preparing for the long haulin the strike.
October 5, 2023
10 p.m. EDT
Ford released a brief statement Thursday night about the ongoing negotiations.
“Negotiations continue. Our focus remains on working diligently with the UAW to achieve a record contract and a strong future for our employees.”
1:32 p.m. EDT
General Motors said on Thursday that the automaker has made another offer to the UAW.
GM's statement is below:
“We can confirm that we provided a counter offer to the UAW's most recent proposal - our sixth since the start of negotiations. We believe we have a compelling offer that would reward our team members and allow GM to succeed and thrive into the future. We continue to stand ready and willing to negotiate in good faith 24/7 to reach an agreement.”
12:40 p.m. EDT
The UAW confirmed that Shawn Fain will hold a Facebook Live on Friday at 2 p.m.
Fain is expected to provide a bargaining update for members, a source close to the negotiations said.
Join UAW President Fain on Facebook Live Friday, October 6, at 2 pm. ET for a stand up announcement.
— UAW (@UAW) October 5, 2023
Watch on #UAW Facebook, YouTube, or X.#StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/ctrtt1ng23
October 4, 2023
6:20 p.m. EDT
Ford announced on Wednesday that it's laying off hundreds of more employees this week.
About 400 employees working in metro Detroit will be laid off starting Thursday. Ford said 350 workers at the Livonia Transmission Plant and 50 workers at the Sterling Axle Plant will be laid off as a direct result of the United Auto Workers strike at the Chicago Assembly Plant.
3:24 p.m. EDT
A source familiar with negotiations says talks are still very active between the UAW and the Big Three automakers, and that the union is planning to deliver a bargaining update on Friday.
9:22 a.m. EDT
In an SEC filing submitted Wednesday, General Motors has entered into an agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank to secure a $6 billion line of credit.
The request can bee seen here.
This move comes nearly three weeks into the UAW’s strike potentially signaling the automaker is preparing for prolonged negotiations.
In August, Ford moved to secure a $4 billion revolving line of credit.
8:20 a.m. EDT
Wednesday morning, the UAW released a video titled “Broken Promises” outlining the history of the union’s fight with Big Three automakers.
5:40 a.m. EDT
7 Action News learned additional details about Ford's seventh counteroffer sent Monday to the UAW in hopes the automaker can reach a tentative agreement.
In the offer submitted Monday night, Ford said the automaker offered "record pay and benefits, new product commitments, layoff protection" on a proposed contract effective through April 30, 2028.
Here's what they detailed about the offer:
Read the statement below:
There’s no doubt our UAW workforce put us on their shoulders during the pandemic, and these same workers and their families were hit hard by inflation. We want to make sure our workers come out of these negotiations with two things – a record contract and a strong future,” said Jim Farley, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company. “We’ve put an offer on the table that will be costly for the company, especially given our large American footprint and UAW workforce, but one that we believe still allows Ford to invest in the future.
October 3, 2023
9:45 a.m. EDT
Ford and General Motors announce they are indefinitely laying off an additional 500 workers at four locations.
Ford will be furloughing 330 workers at its Chicago and Lima, Ohio, facilities.
General Motors will furlough 164 workers at its Parma, Ohio, and Marion, Indiana, metal centers.
October 2, 2023
5:44 p.m. EDT
Ford says the UAW strike is affecting operations at two of their other plants. The automaker says the strike at the Chicago Assembly Plant has forced them to ask employees at the Chicago Stamping and Lima Engine plants not to report to work. Approximately 330 workers are affected.
The company released the following statement about the situation:
Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW’s targeted strike strategy has knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage.
In this case, the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant has directly impacted some operations at Chicago Stamping Plant and Lima Engine Plant. Approximately 330 employees have been asked not to report to work, with layoffs taking effect beginning Sept. 30 at Chicago Stamping Plant and Oct. 2 at Lima Engine Plant.
These are not lock outs. These layoffs are a consequence of the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant, because these three facilities must reduce production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago Assembly Plant. These 330 layoffs are in addition to 600 laid off from Michigan Assembly Plant beginning Sept. 15, bringing Ford’s total to 930 employees impacted by strike-related layoffs.
9:44 a.m. EDT
We're now on day 18 of the UAW strike against the Big Three.
Monday morning, Anderson Economic Group released their estimate on economic losses looking at the first few weeks. According to AEG, this estimate doesn't include any of the strike targets or layoffs/plant closures that took effect on Friday. Those will reportedly be factored into future calculations.
The company says the strike against the Big Three resulted in $3.95 billion in economic losses within the first two weeks, that includes direct wages lost, Big Three manufacturer losses, supplier losses and dealer and customer losses.
September 29, 2023
6:06 p.m. EDT
GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra provided an updated Friday evening about negotiations with the UAW after the strike expanded earlier in the day.
"As we saw this week, UAW leadership continues to expand the strike while upping the rhetoric and the theatrics. It’s clear that there is no real intent to get to an agreement.
Since negotiations started this summer, we’ve been available to bargain 24/7 on behalf of our represented team members and our company. They’ve demanded a record contract – and that’s exactly what we’ve offered for weeks now: a historic contract with record wage increases, record job security and world-class healthcare. It’s an offer that rewards our team members but does not put our company and their jobs at risk. Jeopardizing our future is something I will not do.
By their own admission, the UAW leadership’s plan from the beginning has been to drag their membership into a long, unnecessary strike to further their own personal and political agendas. Their leaked text messages from last week stated their plan to keep us “wounded for months” and cause “recurring reputations damage and operational chaos.”
It is clear Shawn Fain wants to make history for himself, but it can’t be to the detriment of our represented team members and the industry. Serious bargaining happens at the table, not in public, with two parties who are willing to roll up their sleeves to get a deal done. The UAW is pitting the companies against one another, but it’s a strategy that ultimately only helps the non-union competition.
We need the UAW leadership at the bargaining table with the clear intent of reaching an agreement now. For them to do otherwise is putting our collective future at stake. My job is to build a thriving and successful company for decades to come – one with great products for our consumers built by the best manufacturing team on the planet and supported by an ecosystem of dealers and suppliers, all of whom contribute meaningfully to the economy."
2:56 p.m. EDT
After Ford's update on the status of negotiations, UAW President Shawn Fain sent out the following response:
“I don’t know why Jim Farley is lying about the state of negotiations. It could be because he failed to show up for bargaining this week, as he has for most of the past ten weeks. If he were there, he’d know we gave Ford a comprehensive proposal on Monday and still haven’t heard back.
He would also know that we are far apart on core economic proposals like retirement security and post-retirement healthcare, as well as job security in this EV transition, which Farley himself says is going to cut 40 percent of our members’ jobs.
Like a good neighbor, we’re available 24/7. Name the time and the place you want to settle a fair contract for our members, and we’ll be there.”
1:44 p.m. EDT
Ford President and CEO Jim Farley shared an update on UAW negotiations on Friday after the union announced their third wave of strike targets.
According to Ford, a deal is being held up primarily over battery plants that aren’t expected to be up and running for another several years.
“If the UAW’s goal is a record contract, they have already achieved this,” said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley in a news release. “It is grossly irresponsible to escalate these strikes and hurt thousands of families.”
Ford says it made a historic offer on September 12, and that they are continuing to improve what they put on the table.
Ford presented this look at the last offer:
12:30 p.m. EDT
Chopper 7 was over Solidarity House shortly after noon EDT as a solidarity convoy was kicking off, bringing workers together from all three automakers.
Just after noon Friday, UAW president Shawn Fain spoke to a convoy of striking auto workers at Solidarity House in Detroit to reinforce the unions commitment to obtaining higher wages and benefits for UAW workers.
"Today is the about the autoworkers who are a major part of the fabric of the working class in this nation. Everything we do impacts everything else. This isn't about the billionaire class or the elite few," Fain said. "This is about the working class and the billions of us that are left behind."
Noon EDT
Stellantis has issued a statement after being spared from the latest strike target announcement:
"Stellantis has been intensely working with the UAW to find solutions to the issues that are of most concern to our employees while ensuring the Company can remain competitive given the market’s fierce competition. We have made progress in our discussions, but gaps remain. We are committed to continue working through these issues in an expeditious manner to reach a fair and responsible agreement that gets everyone back to work as soon as possible."
11:33 a.m. EDT
Ford President and CEO Jim Farley is planning to hold a media briefing on the status of negotiations with the UAW at 1 p.m. EDT.
11:00 a.m. EDT
GM responds to the UAW's third round of strikes in a statement to employees Friday.
Read the statement below.
General Motors Manufacturing and CCA Team Members:
“We still have not received a comprehensive counteroffer from UAW leadership to our latest proposal made on September 21. Calling more strikes is just for the headlines, not real progress. The number of people negatively impacted by these strikes is growing and includes our customers who buy and love the products we build.
For our part, we continue to stand ready and willing to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that benefits you and doesn’t let the non-union manufacturers win. Our current, record proposal that is on the table offers historic wage increases and job security while not jeopardizing our future. We’re here to reach an agreement so we can all get back to work, and that remains our 100% focus. Be safe.”
10:55 a.m. EDT
United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain called on Ford's Chicago Assembly and the GM Lansing Delta Township Assembly to go on strike at noon Friday.
It’s the latest move in the UAW’s “Stand Up Strike” strategy.
Fain said Stellantis has made significant progress on key factors in negotiations, so they will be spared from this round of strike targets.
“Our strategy is working,” said Fain.
If the workers walk out, the union says it will bring the number of strikers to around 25,000 UAW members.
Just yesterday, a source familiar with the negotiations said there had been a lot of activity in the past 24 to 48 hours with all three companies.
Last week, Fain added 38 locations across 20 states in all nine regions of the UAW to the “Stand Up Strike” list. Ford was spared from that target announcement as Fain cited real progress with the automaker at the time.
September 29, 2023
UAW President Shawn Fain is expected to announce new strike targets at 10 a.m. EDT if a deal is not reached with the Big Three by noon.
WATCH FAIN'S ANNOUNCEMENT AT 10 A.M. EDT HERE
September 28, 2023
10:05 p.m. EDT
Ford released a statement Thursday night, saying negotiations with the UAW are ongoing.
“Negotiations continue. Our focus remains on working diligently with the UAW to reach a deal that rewards our workforce and enables Ford to invest in a vibrant and growing future.”
2:39 p.m. EDT
According to a UAW source, the union submitted a counter-proposal to Stellantis today.
A source familiar with negotiations tells 7 Action News that talks remain quite active and that there has been a lot of activity in the past 24 to 48 hours with all three companies.
11:46 a.m. EDT
Stellantis released a statement after Fain said that the automaker and General Motors were enabling violence on the picket lines.
The statement reads:
"We are appalled by the UAW’s characterization of the incidents occurring on the picket lines. Since the UAW expanded its strike to our parts distribution centers last Friday, we’ve witnessed an escalation of dangerous, and even violent, behavior by UAW picketers at several of those facilities, including slashing truck tires, jumping on vehicles, following people home and hurling racial slurs at dedicated Stellantis employees who are merely crossing the picket line to do their jobs. The fact is, Stellantis has not hired any outside replacement workers, who Shawn Fain calls “scabs”. Only current employees who are protecting our business and third parties making pick-ups and deliveries as they normally would are entering our facilities.
The top levels of the UAW are aware of all this, yet Shawn Fain decided to make misleading and inflammatory statements, which will serve only to escalate the situation. We are extremely disappointed in the UAW leadership’s lack of ownership in this area, and we call on Shawn Fain and the entire UAW leadership to do its part to help ensure the safety of all Stellantis employees, including those on the picket line.
Words matter. The deliberate use of inflammatory and violent rhetoric is dangerous and needs to stop. The companies are not “the enemy” and we are not at “war”. We respect our employees' right to advocate for their position, including their right to peacefully picket. But the violence must stop. We have put a record offer on the table and are working hard to reach an agreement as quickly as possible, which will enable us to go back to work... together. Let's make every effort to de-escalate our words and our actions until then."
8:00 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain released a video talking about reports of violence against striking UAW members on the picket line, including in Flint, where five workers were hit by a car. He also mentioned other reports around the country
Fain then said that General Motors and Stellantis are enabling the violence, but Stellantis later released a statement saying they were "appalled by the UAW's characterization" of the violence.
September 27, 2023
9:45 p.m. EDT
Former President Donald Trump spoke to non-union workers at auto supplier Drake Enterprises in Clinton Township on Wednesday evening as his Republican rivals hit the stage for the second primary debate in California.
Trump criticized President Joe Biden and his push for electric vehicles. The former president's visit happened a day after Biden stood alongside striking UAW workers on the picket line.
2:12 p.m. EDT
A UAW source is telling 7 Action News that UAW President Shawn Fain will announce the next set of facilities that will be targeted in the "Stand Up Strike" strategy during a 10 a.m. Friday Facebook Live, if no significant progress is made in negotiations.
The source says the workers at the announced facilities would then walk out at 12:00 p.m. barring no major forward movement in negotiations.
Join UAW President Fain on Facebook Live Friday, September 29, at 10 a.m. ET for a stand up announcement.#StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/skZpZo6rdU
— UAW (@UAW) September 27, 2023
The news that the next set of targets will be released later this week comes as sources close to the negotiations say representatives for General Motors will be coming to Solidarity House at 4 p.m. Wednesday for a meeting. At this point, it is not clear if they are coming in with a formal proposal.
September 26, 2023
1:06 p.m.
President Biden stood with striking union workers on the picket line.
It happened at the Willow Run Redistribution Center, part of the UAW Local 174.
UAW President Shawn Fain addressed the workers. President Biden also spoke briefly at the event.
"You've heard me say many times, Wall Street didn't build the country, the middle class built the country. Unions built the middle class. That's a fact. So let's keep going. You deserved what you've earned, and you've earned a hell of a lot more than you're getting paid now. Thank you very much," said President Biden.
Watch part of his speech below:
12:40 p.m. EDT
President Joe Biden has landed in Michigan with plans to visit the UAW picket line. He greeted UAW President Shawn Fain, Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and other government leaders at Detroit Metro Airport.
September 25, 2023
9:48 p.m. EDT
General Motors released a statement in regards to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump visiting metro Detroit this week to show support to autoworkers.
- Our focus is not on politics but continues to be on bargaining in good faith with the UAW leadership to reach an agreement as quickly as possible that rewards our workforce and allows GM to succeed and thrive into the future.
- We have presented five, record economic proposals that address the areas our team members have said matter most, including wage increases and job security.
- We value our workforce and understand the impact a strike has on our employees, communities and the economy – nobody wins.
6:50 p.m. EDT
Ford Motor Co. said it's pausing construction on its $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Marshall until they are certain they can run the plant in a competitive manner.
The decision was made as the union is on strike and contract negotiations continue between the UAW and Big Three. Ford announced it was building the plant in February.
UAW President Shawn Fain responded with the following statement:
“This is a shameful, barely-veiled threat by Ford to cut jobs. Closing 65 plants over the last 20 years wasn’t enough for the Big Three, now they want to threaten us with closing plants that aren’t even open yet. We are simply asking for a just transition to electric vehicles and Ford is instead doubling down on their race to the bottom.”
4:33 p.m. EDT
A union source familiar with the ongoing negotiations said talks were very active over the weekend with Ford, but that they are still working through key issues.
September 22, 2023
4:45 p.m. EDT
Hours after UAW President Shawn Fain invited all supporters, including the President of the United States, to join them on the picket lines, Joe Biden announced he plans to come to Michigan on Tuesday.
President Biden posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying he will join the picket line and stand in solidarity with the UAW.
Read his statement below:
Tuesday, I’ll go to Michigan to join the picket line and stand in solidarity with the men and women of UAW as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create.
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 22, 2023
It’s time for a win-win agreement that keeps American auto manufacturing thriving with well-paid UAW jobs.
2:00 p.m. EDT
As additional UAW workers were called to "Stand Up Strike" at GM and Stellantis Friday at noon, Stellantis issued a statement questioning UAW leadership and the lack of a response to the automakers most recent offer to the union.
Read the full statement below.
Following yesterday’s publication of comments made by the UAW’s Communications Director and the subsequent strike announcement, we question whether the union’s leadership has ever had an interest in reaching an agreement in a timely manner. They seem more concerned about pursuing their own political agendas than negotiating in the best interests of our employees and the sustainability of our U.S. operations given the market’s fierce competition.
The fact is, we made a very competitive offer yesterday that includes all our current full-time hourly employees earning between $80,000 and $96,000 a year by the end of the contract (a 21.4% compounded increase); a long-term solution for Belvidere; and, significant product allocation that allows for workforce stability through the end of the contract. And yet, we still have not received a response to that offer. We look forward to the UAW leadership’s productive engagement so that we can bargain in good faith to reach an agreement that will protect the competitiveness of our Company and our ability to continue providing good jobs.
1:30 p.m. EDT
General Motors released a statement after workers at several of their parts distribution centers began to strike. It reads:
“Today’s strike escalation by the UAW’s top leadership is unnecessary. The decision to strike an additional 18 of our facilities, affecting more than 3,000 team members plus their families and communities, adds validity to the blueprint identified in last night’s leaked texts -- that the UAW leadership is manipulating the bargaining process for their own personal agendas.
We have contingency plans for various scenarios and are prepared to do what is best for our business, our customers, and our dealers.
We have now presented five separate economic proposals that are historic, addressing areas that our team members have said matters most: wage increases and job security while allowing GM to succeed and thrive into the future. We will continue to bargain in good faith with the union to reach an agreement as quickly as possible.”
1 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain joined workers at a newly-striking location in Center Line, Michigan, this afternoon after announcing the expansion of the Stand Up Strike strategy.
“This is about working class people all over this country, all of this world. This is all of our fight,” said Fain.
12 p.m. EDT
Workers at 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts distribution centers walked off the job at noon Friday, less than two hours after being called as the latest Stand Up Strike movement from UAW President Shawn Fain.
We were live outside of the Center Line location where workers had been lining up, ready to begin picketing.
10:49 a.m. EDT
Ford has issued a statement about the progress of UAW negotiations after they were spared from the second round of strike targets for the new noon deadline. Ford said it promises to continue to work with the UAW to address the concerns of UAW workers.
Read the full statement below.
Ford is working diligently with the UAW to reach a deal that rewards our workforce and enables Ford to invest in a vibrant and growing future. Although we are making progress in some areas, we still have significant gaps to close on the key economic issues. In the end, the issues are interconnected and must work within an overall agreement that supports our mutual success.
10:40 a.m. EDT
Ford has been spared from the second round of strike targets in the UAW's "Stand Up Strike" strategy. UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday morning that they have made "real progress" in negotiations with Ford.
Fain noted that GM and Stellantis still have major work to do.
Because of that, Fain called on all parts distribution centers at Stellantis and GM facilities to strike at noon; that's 38 locations across 20 states across all nine regions of the UAW.
Here's the full list:
September 21, 2023
10:46 p.m. EDT
GM said Thursday night that they put in a fifth offer to the UAW. In part of a statement, the company said:
"We’ve put a 5th record offer on the table and are ready, as we always have been, to bargain in good faith to reach a deal that rewards our team members and allows GM to succeed and thrive into the future.”
1:18 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain announced earlier this week that he'd be holding a Facebook Live on Friday at 10 a.m. ahead of the new noon deadline.
We plan to stream the announcement and bring you the latest news on the ongoing negotiations.
Join UAW President Fain on Facebook Live tomorrow at 10 am ET for a stand up announcement.#StandUpUAW pic.twitter.com/4rHhRVW3Lg
— UAW (@UAW) September 21, 2023
September 20, 2023
8:30 p.m. EDT
Stellantis provided a glimmer of hope for a breakthrough by giving the union a new contract proposal. However, a company spokeswoman said the offer primarily covered non-economic issues.
It was not clear whether the Stellantis offer would satisfy union President Shawn Fain, who vows to announce new strike targets on Friday unless there is “serious progress” toward agreements with GM, Stellantis and Ford.
7 p.m. EDT
Ford Bronco seating supplier LM Manufacturing temporarily laid off about 650 employees on Wednesday due to the UAW strike, a spokesperson confirmed. The company, a joint venture between Magna and LAN Manufacturing, is based in Detroit.
2:30 p.m. EDT
A union source familiar with the ongoing negotiations said Stellantis sent a new offer to the UAW today. They are currently reviewing the offer.
2:20 p.m. EDT
GM said Wednesday it has idled its Fairfax Assembly location in Kansas City, Kansas, due to a supply issue caused by the UAW strike near St. Louis.
Fairfax Assembly employs over 2,000 individuals.
11:15 a.m. EDT
Stellantis said on Wednesday it is temporarily laying off 68 employees at the Toledo Machining location in Perrysburg, Ohio, due to the strike at the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex.
According to Stellantis, it is due to storage constraints, and all other production at the facility will continue.
Stellantis did say it anticipates to layoff about 300 other employees at the Kokomo Transmission and Kokomo Casting in Kokomo, Indiana
"Stellantis continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations," the statement reads.
September 19, 2023
9:30 p.m. EDT
Unifor, the union representing Canadian auto workers, says they have reached an agreement in their negotiations with Ford Motor Company. The union and automaker reached the agreement hours before the midnight deadline, which had already been extended Monday.
9:10 p.m. EDT
The UAW announced that President Shawn Fain will have an announcement on Friday at 10 a.m. on Facebook. This would be prior to Fain's Friday noon deadline for more workers to walk out on the job if agreements aren't met.
4:49 p.m. EDT
There's a growing belief that the auto strike will expand as soon as Friday. Workers we talked to today say they expect the stakes to get higher based on the pace of current negotiations between the UAW and the Big Three.
Outside of the Ford Michigan Assembly in Wayne, striking workers and other supporters of the UAW were spending the day focused on solidarity.
Retired worker Virginia Williams says she believes more locations will be called to strike.
"No one should work at factories like this and make vehicles they can't buy. Makes no sense," she said.
Auto expert David Zoia with Ward's Automotive tells 7 Action News that the next wave of locations could include where mid-size SUVs are made.
"The GM location in Lansing where they make the Traverse and Cadillacs, Ford Chicago where they make the Explorer and possibly the Jefferson Assembly in Detroit where they make the Grand Cherokee," said Zoia.
He says currently 3,000 vehicles a day total are being lost, but a full strike across all three companies could take that number to 22,000.
One negotiator for the union said they remain in serious discussions with the Big Three with a shared goal of reaching an agreement that works for both sides.
9:17 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain released a statement Tuesday after a report Monday that former President Donald Trump was planning to speak to union workers instead of attending the second Republican debate.
Fain's statement said: “Every fiber of our union is being poured into fighting the billionaire class and an economy that enriches people like Donald Trump at the expense of workers. We can’t keep electing billionaires and millionaires that don’t have any understanding what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by and expecting them to solve the problems of the working class.”
September 18, 2023
9:20 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain in a video Monday night announced a new deadline of Friday at noon for more locations to strike if a contract agreement isn’t met.
“If we don’t make serious progress by noon on Friday, September 22, more locals will be called on to stand up and join the strike,” Fain said. “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 also applauded the UAW members currently on the picket line.
5:50 p.m. EDT
As talk of layoffs in the auto industry continues, General Motors announced that it will be idling a location in Kansas, which is expected to put around 2,000 people out of work. CIE Newcor, an auto supplier, has said that 293 layoffs are possible starting Oct. 2.
4:15 p.m. EDT
Stellantis says talks with the UAW today were "constructive". However, they did not release any substantive details about what was discussed.
The UAW has not commented on the talks. So far today, they have only confirmed they would be negotiating withe the automaker.
6:30 a.m. EDT
Striking UAW workers were blocking the entrance to the Ford Michigan Assembly location on Monday morning as some vehicles and semis arrived at the location
Police had to be called to escort those vehicles inside the location, and eventually, a resolution was reached with the union to let the vehicles in and out of the location.
September 16, 2023
9:24 p.m. EDT
Stellantis responds to UAW claims the automaker is "playing games" during contract negotiations. Stellantis' statement reads:
Once again the Union has mischaracterized the facts. It was made very clear to the UAW leadership that the competitive offer presented on Thursday included a strong future for Belvidere and was connected to the contract deadline. Our intention was to present a strong proposal for Belvidere and, at the same time, avoid a strike for our represented workers. The truth is UAW leadership ignored Belvidere in favor of a strike. As we stated earlier today, ‘we are glad to continue to work on a solution (for Belvidere). We want to have a solution including that (Belvidere).’ When we work together, we win together. We stand ready to get everyone back to work as soon as possible.
3:36 p.m. EDT
In response to Stellantis' decision to not reopen its Belvidere Assembly location as proposed, UAW President Shawn Fain released the following statement with claims the automaker is "playing games" during contract negotiations:
“Today, a Stellantis executive told the press that the company had put forward a proposal to reopen Belvidere Assembly Plant but that they are now taking it back.
That’s how they see these workers. A bargaining chip.
Belvidere Assembly was a profitable plant that just a few years ago supported around 5,000 workers and their families. Now that number is zero, and Stellantis wants to keep playing games.
Their attitude is: Stellantis giveth, and Stellantis taketh away.
Our attitude is: Save Belvidere.”
Read Fain's full statement here.
11:06 a.m. EDT
After reports of planned layoffs at some non-striking GM and Ford locations, UAW President Shawn Fain released the following statement Saturday:
Let’s be clear: if the Big Three decide to lay people off who aren’t on strike, that’s them trying to put the squeeze on our members to settle for less. With their record profits, they don’t have to lay off a single employee. In fact, they could double every autoworker’s pay, not raise car prices, and still rake in billions of dollars.Their plan won’t work. The UAW will make sure any worker laid off in the Big Three’s latest attack will not go without an income. We’ll organize one day longer than they can and go the distance to win economic and social justice at the Big Three.
10:29 a.m. EDT
Saturday morning, Stellantis provided the following overview of its offer to UAW workers:
Stellantis and the UAW have entered a critical phase of negotiations. Decisions made during this process will either enable our workers and our Company to thrive or will take us backward and endanger the long-term competitiveness of our Company, negatively impacting our workers and our communities.Unfortunately, the UAW’s leadership has decided to call a strike and publicly misrepresent several key elements of our offer.We believe it is imperative to set the record straight and provide the facts of Stellantis’ highly competitive offer, presented on September 14.Our goal is to secure a sustainable future that provides all our UAW-represented employees with an opportunity to thrive in a company that will be competitive during the automotive industry’s historic transformation.
Presented on September 14, the offer includes a 21% wage increase, 4-year wage progression, inflation protection, $1 billion investment in retirement security commitments, and facility modernization. In Saturday's statement, Stellantis reinforced its commitment to the bargaining process by promising to "bargain in good faith."
We have delivered four comprehensive economic proposals to date. Our bargaining team continues to work days, nights and weekends in a responsible manner to fully understand and address each of the Union’s nearly 1,000 demands. Our team continues to take a serious and responsible approach to find creative solutions for each of these demands. We have listened and will continue to bargain in good faith until an agreement is reached.When we work together, we win together. And we look forward to getting everyone back to work as soon as possible.
Read Stellantis' full statement here.
September 15, 2023
5 p.m. EDT
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and UAW President Shawn Fain spoke at the rally in front of the UAW-Ford Heritage Center in Downtown Detroit.
4:27 p.m. EDT
Ford has released a statement saying the strike has already affected operations at the Michigan Assembly location where workers in two departments walked off the job last night. The statement says workers in areas that were not called to the picket line by the union have been laid off because components they make cannot be completed by the paint department, one of the striking units.
The statement reads as follows:
Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW’s targeted strike strategy will have knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage. In this case, the strike at Michigan Assembly Plant’s final assembly and paint has directly impacted the operations in other parts of the facility. Approximately 600 employees at Michigan Assembly Plant’s body construction department and south sub-assembly area of integrated stamping were notified not to report to work Sept. 15. This is not a lockout. This layoff is a consequence of the strike at Michigan Assembly Plant’s final assembly and paint departments, because the components built by these 600 employees use materials that must be e-coated for protection. E-coating is completed in the paint department, which is on strike.
2:27 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain released the following statement in response to President Biden's Friday address:
Last night we launched a historic strike at three major Big Three facilities after Ford, GM, and Stellantis each failed to offer a fair contract to our 150,000 autoworkers.For six weeks, the companies have had our economic demands. For six weeks, they chose not to get down to business. They squandered the time we had, and once again want to blame the workers for their mistakes and mismanagement.We agree with Joe Biden when he says “record profits mean record contracts.” We don’t agree when he says negotiations have broken down. Our national elected negotiators and UAW leadership are hard at work at the bargaining table. Our members and allies are standing strong at the picket lines. Anyone who wants to stand with us can grab a sign and hold the line.The companies and the media want to use fear tactics about how we’re going to wreck the economy. We’re not going to wreck the economy.The truth is we are going to wreck the billionaire economy.Working people are not afraid. You know who’s afraid? The corporate media is afraid. The White House is afraid. The companies are afraid.Today we’re rallying with our members. Tomorrow, we expect to be at the bargaining table. All three companies have received a comprehensive counteroffer from our union, and we await their response. So we’ll keep fighting for justice for the working class while the Big Three keep price-gouging the American consumer, ripping off the American taxpayer, and shortchanging the American worker.Enough is enough. It’s time to Stand Up.
2:11 p.m. EDT
Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA)has provided guidance for UAW workers amid the strike at the Big 3.
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) says striking workers may qualify for temporary benefits through the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA).
The following resources are available to assist workers:
- This guide to applying for benefits.
- Online coaching sessions for first-time applicants.
- Networking opportunities for workers of underserved backgrounds.
- Assistance with resetting MiWAM passwords.
For login help or other assistance, call 866-500-0017.
"Workers who were laid off or assigned reduced hours are encouraged to connect with Michigan Works! to learn about the services available to them," Michigan UIA said.
Workers can also call Michigan WORKS by calling 800-285-WORKS or visit their website.
12:20 p.m. EDT
President Joe Biden addressed the country Friday following the UAW's strike at the Big 3.
"In the past decade, auto companies have seen record profits, including the last years, because of the extraordinary skills and sacrifices of the UAW workers. Those record profits have not been shared fairly, in my view, with those workers," President Biden said.
In his address, he urged automakers, who have had record profits, to "go further" with contract talks.
"Record corporate profits, which they have, should be shared by record contracts for the UAW," Biden said.
Biden said he will send two White House senior advisers, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and Senior Adviser Gene Sperling, to Detroit in the coming days to assist with negotiations.
10 a.m. EDT
The UAW is holding a solidarity rally on Friday evening at the UAW-Ford National Programs Center along Jefferson Ave.
People are expected to arrive at 4 p.m. with the program beginning at 5 p.m. UAW President Shawn Fain and Sen. Bernie Sanders are expected to be among the speakers at the rally.
WXYZ will livestream the rally starting at 5 p.m.
8:00 a.m. EDT
General Motors CEO Mary Barra appeared on Good Morning America on Friday, just hours after the UAW went on strike against GM, Stellantis and Ford.
Barra said she is "extremely disappointed and frustrated we're on strike," and said the last offer GM made to the union was a "very strong offer."
That offer, according to Barra, was a record offer to the union and included wage increases of up to 20% over the life of the contract.
Barra also talked about her executive compensation package and profit-sharing checks that went to GM workers last year, and how they're working in the transition to electric vehicles.
The UAW is targeting locations for strikes, and right now, Barra said the Wentzville location in Missouri is the GM location on strike. That location produces the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, two mid-size pickup trucks, and a cargo vehicle, which GM said has high demand.
She was asked if they will be back at the bargaining table on Friday
"We're there now, we're ready and want to get back to it. We want to problem-solve and get people back to work as quickly as possible," Barra said.
12:52 a.m. EDT
General Motors issued the following statement regarding the strike at the Missouri location:
“The UAW has informed GM that they are on strike at Wentzville Assembly in Missouri as of 11:59 PM. We are disappointed by the UAW leadership's actions, despite the unprecedented economic package GM put on the table, including historic wage increases and manufacturing commitments. We will continue to bargain in good faith with the union to reach an agreement as quickly as possible for the benefit of our team members, customers, suppliers and communities across the U.S. In the meantime, our priority is the safety of our workforce.”
UAW President Shawn Fain also marched with striking workers outside of the Ford Michigan Assembly location overnight.
12:30 a.m. EDT
Dave Zoia from auto publication WardsAuto joined 7 Action News late Thursday night and early Friday morning to discuss the strike and what we could expect.
12:15 a.m. EDT
UAW members from three targeted auto locations have walked out and begun striking. 7 Action News crews spoke with workers outside of locations in Wayne and Toledo, Ohio.
12:01 a.m. EDT
Stellantis issued the following statement after the contract deadline passed:
"We are extremely disappointed by the UAW leadership's refusal to engage in a responsible manner to reach a fair agreement in the best interest of our employees, their families and our customers. We immediately put the Company in contingency mode and will take all the appropriate structural decisions to protect our North American operations and the Company."
September 14, 2023
11:59 p.m. EDT
The United Auto Workers union contract deadline has now officially passed with no sign of a deal with any of Detroit’s Big Three automakers: General Motors, Stellantis and Ford.
The deadline for a new contract was 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14.
The UAW is now striking the Big Three in a historic move.
Late Thursday, UAW President Shawn Fain identified the following locations as initial strike targets, instructing workers to walk out after the deadline:
- GM Wentzville Assembly, Local 2250 (Missouri)
- Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex, Local 12 (Ohio)
- Ford Michigan Assembly location, final assembly and paint only, Local 900 (Michigan)
WE WILL BE BREAKING IN TO COVER THE STRIKE DEADLINE. WATCH HERE AT 11:59 P.M.
10:47 p.m. EDT
Ford issued a statement saying the UAW presented a counterproposal to the automaker a few hours from the contract deadline.
"Unfortunately, the UAW’s counterproposal tonight showed little movement from the union’s initial demands submitted Aug. 3. If implemented, the proposal would more than double Ford’s current UAW-related labor costs, which are already significantly higher than the labor costs of Tesla, Toyota and other foreign-owned automakers in the United States that utilize non-union-represented labor," the statement read in part.
It ended with: "Ford remains absolutely committed to reaching an agreement that rewards our employees and protects Ford’s ability to invest in the future as we move through industry-wide transformation."
10 p.m. EDT
United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain outlined the location targets for Thursday night as part of their “Stand Up Strike” strategy if a deal is not reached.
The contract deadline between the UAW and the Big Three is 11:59 p.m. tonight.
The targets are:
- GM Wentzville Assembly, Local 2250 (Missouri)
- Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex, Local 12 (Ohio)
- Ford Michigan Assembly location, final assembly and paint only, Local 900 (Michigan)
"If we need to go all out, we will. Everything is on the table," said Fain on Thursday evening.
8:58 p.m. EDT
We're about an hour away from UAW President Shawn Fain's scheduled Facebook Live where he's expected to lay out the location targets to kick off the "Stand Up Strike" strategy if a deal is not reached before the deadline.
WATCH FAIN LIVE HERE AT 10 P.M.
2:56 p.m. EDT
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said in a letter to the GM Manufacturing Team that they put another proposal on the table this morning as the UAW contract deadline quickly approaches.
“We know a strong GM is important to all of us. We are working with urgency and have proposed yet another increasingly strong offer with the goal of reaching an agreement tonight. Remember: we had a strike in 2019 and nobody won," wrote Barra in the letter.
They outlined the offer below:
12:21 p.m. EDT
Teamsters union pledges solidarity with UAW workers amid potential strike.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Teamsters president Sean M. O’Brien said, “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."
O'Brien added “Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors have a choice to make about the kind of companies they want to become. Do not go down the wrong road. Do not attempt to divide or cast aside dedicated union families who have given their lives to building a resilient American auto industry. All UAW International Union 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.”
11:21 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain is expected to go live on Facebook again tonight at 10 p.m. to outline location targets for a potential strike after the contract deadline. It's part of the "Stand Up Strike" strategy the UAW outlined on Wednesday afternoon, where they are preparing to strike the Big Three but at a limited number of targeted locations. Based on how the bargaining is going, Fain said they could announce more locals to stand up and strike. He said the locals that aren't called to strike would maintain "a constant strike readiness" as they work under an expired agreement.
September 13, 2023
7:45 p.m. EDT
All three automakers released statements after UAW President Shawn Fain went live on Facebook for an update Wednesday night.
General Motors:
“We continue to bargain directly and in good faith with the UAW and have presented additional strong offers. We are making progress in key areas that we believe are most important to our represented team members. This includes historic guaranteed annual wage increases, investments in our U.S. manufacturing locations to provide opportunities for all, and shortening the time for in-progression employees to reach maximum wages.”
Stellantis:
We’re still awaiting the UAW’s response to the offer we presented yesterday. Our focus remains on bargaining in good faith to have a tentative agreement on the table before the collective bargaining agreement expires.
Ford President and CEO Jim Farley:
The Ford team continues to put 100% of our energy into reaching an agreement with the UAW that rewards our valued employees and allows the company to invest in the future. If there is a strike, it’s not because Ford didn’t make a great offer. We have and that’s what we can control. In fact, we have put four offers on the table starting Aug. 29 and each one has been increasingly generous. We still have not received any genuine counteroffer. On Tuesday, Bill Ford and I sat down with the union at the main table for a major offer. As we were walking in the room, we learned President Fain would not be attending. Nevertheless, Bill and I laid out a historically generous offer to the UAW Ford bargaining team because we listened to the UAW demands and we care about our employees. Here are the facts. Ford: ' • Significantly increased our proposal on wage increases; • Offered Cost of Living Adjustments, or COLA; • Fully eliminated wage tiers so all employees can achieve industry-leading wages – and shortened to four from eight years the time it takes hourly employees to reach the top wage; • Increased contributions to in-progression retirement savings; • Protected health care benefits that would continue to rank in the top 1% of all employersponsored medical plans for lowest employee cost sharing; and • Added more paid time off, with up to five weeks of vacation and 17 paid holidays each year (with the addition of Juneteenth). The first we learned President Fain received the offer was on Facebook Live this evening. So again, we are here and ready to reach a deal. We should be working creatively to solve hard problems rather than planning strikes and PR events. Please remember that Ford, more than any other company, has bet on the UAW and treated the UAW with respect. We have been incredibly supportive of the union. We have gone well beyond any contract language in adding jobs and investment. The future of our industry is at stake. Let’s do everything we can to avert a disastrous outcome.
5 p.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain went on Facebook Live to update autoworkers and the public on where negotiations currently stand. He announced the "Stand Up Strike" strategy that the union would take if a deal is not met by the deadline. He also said local unions will be notified when to begin demonstrations from leaders at the national level and to maintain a strike readiness until then.
11 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain is expected to give an update on the Big Three negotiations at 5 p.m. on Facebook Live.
8 a.m. EDT
UAW President Shawn Fain appeared on Good Morning America Wednesday morning saying that progress has been made and they are planning to meet with the companies more on Wednesday.
September 12, 2023
Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company submitted an offer to the union on Tuesday, calling it “the most lucrative offer in 80 years of working with the UAW.”
He said the offer includes large pay increases and top 1% health care. The offer also includes profit-sharing, inflation protection, removing tiered labor and five weeks of vacation, which would add on 17 days.
“Lot in the offer. But this will be… the most lucrative offer and will require a lot of belt-tightening at the company,” Farley said. “And there's a limit to how far we can go because we have to keep investing for the transition of the industry.”
September 12, 2023
UAW President Shawn Fain appeared on CNN Monday night and said the union has been countering offers from the Big Three, and said that any strike would hurt only the "billionaire class."
Asked about concern that a strike could harm to the economy and drive up car prices, Fain replied that new car prices have gone up in the last four years without any strike or big raises for his member.
“In the last four years, the price of cars went up 30%. [Automakers’] CEO pay went up 40%. No one said a word. No one had any complaints about that but God forbid the workers ask for their fair share,” he said. “It’s not [that] we’ll wreck the economy. We’ll wreck their economy, the economy that only works for the billionaire class and not the working class.”
September 11, 2023
Stellantis released on Monday to employees on the negotiations with the UAW.
Tobin Williams, the senior VP of North American human resources, said there is good energy among both teams who worked over the meeting for a contract.
"I’m pleased to report that the Stellantis and UAW subcommittees have reached tentative agreements in a number of important areas, including health and safety, which is of critical importance as the well-being of our people is at the core of our corporate values," he said in the update.
September 8, 2023
Stellantis became the latest Big Three automaker to send a proposal contract to the United Auto Workers union on Friday.
The automaker outlined the proposal on Friday morning, saying it has been a "really good week at the bargaining table," and progress has been made on many issues.
This is the first economic proposal sent by Stellantis, and includes wage increases in each year of the contract total 14.5% for most employees.
The breakdown of the proposed contract is below.
For most represented employees
- Wage increases in each year of the contract totaling 14.5% with no lump sump
Inflation protection
- $6,000 one-time inflation protection payment in the first year of the contract
- $4,500 in inflation protection payments over the final three years of the contract
For all represented employees
- Juneteenth recognized as a paid holiday
For supplemental employees
- Wage increase from starting rate of $15.78 per hour to $20 per hour
For in-progression employees
- Accelerate progression timeline from eight years to six years, potentially reducing the time that employees can reach the max wage rate by 25%
Friday afternoon, UAW tweeted a statement in response to the proposal, saying "They have the money. They just don't want Stellantis workers to get our fair share."
See the full tweet below:
STELLANTIS FINALLY RESPONDS.
— UAW (@UAW) September 8, 2023
They have the money. They just don't want Stellantis workers to get our fair share. pic.twitter.com/8UvgKKnkjF
Friday evening, Fain went live on Facebook to discuss the proposals from all three automakers, explaining where things stand.
September 6, 2023
Fain said on Sept. 6 that the union planned to on strike against any Detroit automaker that didn't reach a new agreement by the time the contract expires.
Speaking to the AP, Fain said that the union would have to give up some of its demands, but the plan would be to strike if a deal isn't reached.
September 4, 2023
Speaking to reporters on Labor Day, President Joe Biden said he is not worried about a UAW strike against the Big Three.
"No, I'm not worried about a strike," Biden said. "It's not gonna happen."
UAW President Shawn Fain said he was shocked by Biden's statement.
“He must know something we don’t know. Maybe the companies plan on walking in and giving us our demands on the night before, I don’t know, but he’s on the inside on something I don’t know about," Fain said. "Our intent is not to strike. Our intent is to get a fair agreement. That’s been our intent from Day One."
August 31, 2023
The UAW and Fain said it filed unfair labor practice complaints against Stellantis and GM, arguing they failed to make counteroffers to the union's economic demands.
At the time, Ford was the only company to make a counteroffer, but Fain said it rejected most of the union's proposal.
In a statement, Stellantis said the unfair labor charges are not based on fact, and that it will vigorously defend itself against them.
“We are disappointed to learn that Mr. Fain is more focused on filing frivolous legal charges than on actual bargaining,” the statement said. “We will not allow Mr. Fain’s tactics to distract us from that important work to secure the future for our employees.”
GM said it strongly refutes the union's labor accusation.
“We believe it has no merit and is an insult to the bargaining committees,” GM said in a statement. “We have been hyper-focused on negotiating directly and in good faith with the UAW and are making progress.”
August 25, 2023
Fain announced that 97% of UAW workers voted yes to authorize a strike against the Big Three.
While a strike authorization vote passing doesn’t mean a picket line is imminent, workers say it is a strong show of force and offers leverage at the bargaining table if the union cannot strike a deal with the automakers by the end of the negotiation period.
August 23, 2023
The UAW held a practice picket in front of the Mack Assembly location in Detroit.
“We don’t want to strike, but if we have to, we will. If we don’t get a fair contract, we’re willing to walk out,” Tiffany Ogletree, a Stellantis employee.
August 9, 2023
Stellantis submitted a proposal to the UAW for a new contract, but Fain threw it in the trash during a Facebook Live.
August 2-4, 2023
The UAW presented Ford, GM and Stellantis with its list of demands going forward in contract negotiations. It first presented them to Stellantis, then to GM and finally to Ford.
The 10 demands are:
- Eliminate tiers
- Substantial wage increases: we're demanding double-digit pay raises
- Restore COLA
- Defined benefit pension for all workers
- Re-establish retiree medical benefits
- Significantly increase retiree pay
- Right to strike over location closures
- Working family protection program
- End abuse of temp workers
- And the one grabbing a lot of attention is a 32-hour work week instead of the traditional 40
"We have to get back to a standard where we have a quality of life for our members. These are quality-of-life issues," said Fain.
July 13, 2023
Contract negotiations began between the UAW and the Big Three. The day before, Fain announced there would be no public handshake ceremony and instead, he traveled around the area to meet UAW members.
June 16, 2023
Fain issued a strong warning while speaking to members that the union was preparing for strikes against Ford, GM and Stellantis.
March 25, 2023
Shawn Fain is elected the new president of the UAW after a run-off election. Fain had campaigned on the platform of taking on the Big Three to restore concessions the union had made in the past.
October 25, 2019
The UAW-GM contract was officially ratified by members and the strike ended on day 40.
October 16, 2019
A tentative agreement was reached with the UAW and General Motors.
September 15, 2019
Back in 2019, the UAW went on strike against General Motors after the two failed to reach a tentative agreement. At the time, 48,000 UAW-GM workers walked off the job.
The strike lasted 40 days.
