2023-10-26 04:07:55
On the picket line at the Stellantis factory in Toledo, Ohio, October 25, 2023. KURT STEISS / AP
The American automobile union United Auto Workers (UAW) announced Wednesday October 25 that it had found a “provisional agreement” with Ford, after 41 days of strike at the manufacturer and its two major competitors in the United States, General Motors and Stellantis. The agreement includes a 25 percent increase in base pay, the UAW said, and must still be ratified by workers in a vote in the coming weeks.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Strike in the automobile sector in the United States: “The pendulum of the balance of power is returning to the side of the employees”
Ford immediately confirmed the existence of this agreement. “We are focused on restarting the Kentucky Pickup Plant, the Michigan Assembly Plant and the Chicago Assembly Plant, getting 20,000 Ford employees back to work and on the delivery of our complete range to our customers »said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, quoted in a press release.
Shawn Fain, the president of the UAW union, for his part assured that he “achieved things no one thought possible”. “Since the start of the strike, Ford has put on the table 50% more than when we walked out. This agreement puts us on a new path to redress the situation at Ford, among the “Big Three” [surnom donné aux trois constructeurs historiques]and throughout the automotive industry »he added.
Up to more than 40 dollars an hour
This is the first time that the “Big Three” have been targeted at the same time. The strike, linked to the development of the next collective agreements, mobilized nearly 45,000 employees in total on Tuesday, out of the 146,000 registered at the UAW.
“The agreement provides for a 25% increase in base salary until April 2028details the union in its press release. It will result, in total, in an increase of more than 30% in the highest salary, or more than 40 dollars per hour, and an increase of 68% in the starting salary, to more than 28 dollars per hour. ‘hour. » “Ford’s lowest paid workers will get a raise of more than 150% over the life of the agreement”notes the UAW again.
Also read the report: Article reserved for our subscribers Automobile strike in the United States: “Everything is increasing, except our pay slip”
US President Joe Biden welcomed this provisional agreement on Wednesday evening “historical”announced the White House. “I applaud the UAW and Ford for coming to terms after difficult, good-faith negotiations and reaching a historic interim agreement this evening.”he said in a press release.
Also read: Joe Biden joins US auto workers on picket line in Michigan
#provisional #agreement #Ford #UAW #union #reached