Contracts between UAW, Detroit’s big 3 automakers set to expire

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Contracts between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Detroit’s big three automakers—General Motors (GM), Ford and Stellantis—are set to expire Thursday at 11:59 p.m.

The UAW union has nearly 150,000 members. If a strike were to happen, car production would come to a stop not only here in Michigan but across the nation.

Union members from Local UAW 724 have voted to strike if no agreement is met by the deadline on Sept. 14.

At UAW 652, 96 percent of workers voted to authorize a strike in August.

Members want a 46 percent raise, shorter work weeks and a return to the traditional pension for new hires—who only have 401K plans.

98 percent of the nation’s auto workers voted to authorize that strike. They said while the executives of the big three seem to be making more money, their earnings and benefits have stayed stagnant.

Members of the big three said some of these asks would not be sustainable. UAW President Shawn Fain called the big three’s offers a bluff.

“They nickel and dime our members every day, they price gouge the American consumer, and they squeeze the US taxpayer for every dime they can get,” said Fain. “The big three can afford to immediately give us our fair share. If they choose not to, then they are choosing to strike themselves. And we are not afraid to take action.”

In response to the pending strike, Stellantis’ Senior Vice President of North America Human Resources, Tobin Williams, issued a statement Wednesday:

Stellantis sent the UAW three offers.

GM also released a statement Wednesday in response to the negotiations:

Ford released a statement Wednesday night, saying the company has given 100 percent in negotiations with the UAW and that if the strike occurs, it’s not because the company didn’t make a great offer:

There was a similar situation four years ago when the two side were unable to come to terms on the contract. That strike went from Sept. 15 to Oct. 25.

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