UAW strike against General Motors to continue during voting process

Tentative agreement approved Thursday

DETROIT – A done deal between the United Auto Mobile Workers and General Motors is a step closer. 

Union leaders approved a tentative agreement Thursday. Now it is up to members to vote on the measure. 

Ratification meetings will begin Saturday, and ballots are expected to be turned in by Oct. 25. 

The strike is still not over. It will continue during the voting process. It is still unknown if the agreement will pass.

A summary of the tentative agreement can be found on the UAW's official website here.

Some terms of the agreement include the following:

  • Signing bonus of $11,000 for full-time employees 
  • A $4,500 bonus for part-time or temporary employees  
  • As for the annual profit sharing bonus checks: GM agreed to eliminate the $12,000 cap 
  • In pay raises --- 4% lump sums in years 1 and 3-- 3% pay raises in years 2 and 4

One of the sticking points was a path for temporary workers, which there is now. Full-time temporary workers qualify for permanent status by Jan. 6, 2020. Part-time employees can qualify under certain rules by Jan. 1, 2021. 

They also get 40 hours paid time off and 24 hours unpaid time off to use. 

The in-progression walk to full-time pay comes now in four years.  By Sept. 24, 2023 permanent manufacturing employees will make $32.32 per hour.                 

General Motors enhancing retirements for certain older work groups. 

Right now there's a 60,000 signing bonus for 2000 production veterans and 60 skilled trades if they retire by the end of this year through the end of February.

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About the Author:

Nick joined the Local 4 team in February of 2015. Prior to that he spent 6 years in Sacramento covering a long list of big stories including wildfires and earthquakes. Raised in Sterling Heights, he is no stranger to the deep history and pride Detroit has to offer.