UAW President Shawn Fain (left) and International Vice President Chuck Browning (right) | uaw.org
UAW President Shawn Fain (left) and International Vice President Chuck Browning (right) | uaw.org
Striking United Auto Workers (UAW) at local Ford plants may soon be returning to work as a historic tentative contract deal is pending ratification by rank-and-file union members.
The strike, which began in September, involved 4,600 Ford employees at the Chicago Assembly Plant and 45,000 union workers nationwide. As a result of the strike, Ford also laid off hundreds of union workers at its Chicago Heights stamping plant.
This week, Ford became the first of the Big Three carmakers to reach a tentative labor contract settlement. The deal, if ratified, would bring an end to the strike and provide significant benefits for UAW workers. (Source)
UAW President Shawn Fain expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
"We told Ford to pony up, and they did," Fain said in a Facebook live.
The tentative contract deal includes a 25% wage increase over 4.5 years. The deal would begin with an initial 11% pay hike and also includes a 150% pay increase for temporary workers over the life of the contract. This increase would allow temporary workers to reach top pay after three years. UAW officials highlighted that this historic contract deal would result in higher wages for UAW members than the pay increases they have received over the past 22 years combined. (Source)
If the tentative contract deal is ratified by UAW members, it would mark a significant milestone in the labor negotiations between the UAW and Ford. The strike has had a significant impact on both the workers and the company, with production at the Chicago Assembly Plant and the Chicago Heights stamping plant being disrupted for over a month. The resolution of the strike would bring relief to both parties involved and allow for the resumption of normal operations at the Ford plants.
The UAW is expected to hold a vote on the tentative contract deal in the coming days. If the deal is approved, it would signal the end of the strike and the return of UAW workers to their jobs at the Ford plants. The resolution of the strike would also serve as a positive development for the automotive industry as a whole, as it would bring stability and allow for the continuation of production at Ford plants.
Alerts Sign-up