Officials from the United Auto Workers and General Motors on Wednesday announced that they had reached a tentative agreement 31 days into the national workers' strike.
UAW leaders voted on Thursday to approve the tentative contract, and now union members are expected to vote. The strike will continue throughout the voting process.
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Here are the key points:
Background
- On September 15, the United Auto Workers announced a national strike against General Motors as contract negotiations went beyond deadline.
- Nearly 50,000 workers at GM plants across the country were involved.
- Experts say GM had lost over $1 billion in profits since the strike began.
- Line workers had reportedly lost nearly $750 million in income.
- The strike shut down 33 manufacturing plants in nine states and 22 parts distribution warehouses.
- Workers were on strike to secure:
- Fair wages
- Affordable healthcare
- Their share of profits
- Job security
- A defined path to permanent seniority for temps
- Earlier this week, the United Auto Workers reached a tentative agreement with General Motors.
- Union leaders voted to approve the tentative agreement Thursday .
What is in the contract?
- A path to secure jobs for temporary workers
- Beginning Jan. 6, 2020, full-time temp employees of three or more years will qualify for permanent status.
- Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, full-time temp employees of two or more years will qualify for permanent status.
- Also beginning Jan. 1, 2021, part-time temp employees will have a path to convert to regular status employees.
- No changes to the healthcare plan and no additional costs
- Ratification bonuses
- An $11,000 ratification bonus for seniority employees
- A $4,500 ratification bonus for temporary employees
- Elimination of a $12,000 cap on profit-sharing payouts
- Union members will receive payments based on the current $1,000 per $1 billion formula, with no limits.
- Wage increases
- 3% raises in the second and fourth years for eligible permanent manufacturing employees
- 4% lump sums in the first and third years for eligible permanent manufacturing employees
- Full time pay for manufacturing employees in four years
- By Sept. 24, 2023, permanent manufacturing employees will make $32.32 per hour.
- Vacation enhanced
- 40 hours of paid time off
- 24 hours of unpaid time off
- Signing bonus for eligible retirees
- $60,000 for 2000 eligible production workers and 60 eligible skilled workers who retire between the end of the year and the end of February.
- See the full summary of the tentative agreement here .
What comes next?
- The tentative agreement now moves on to a vote by union members.
- The national workers' strike will continue during the vote.
- Ratification meetings will begin on Saturday.
- Ballots are expected to be turned in by Oct. 25.