The United Auto Workers strike against the Detroit Big Three is over - with the UAW reaching separate, tentative deals with Ford, GM and Stellantis. Striking workers are back on the job, while they await the ratification process that could take a couple of weeks. For example, Thursday Ford members at the automaker's Wayne, Michigan assembly plant voted overwhelmingly to accept the new contract. But voting by Ford's 57,000 union members will reportedly continue through November 17th.
Thursday night, UAW President Shawn Fain held a Facebook live and updated members on the tentative deal reached with Stellantis. (There are about 43,000 Stellantis workers that need to vote to approve it.) Fain said Stellantis plans to invest $18.9 billion dollars in the U.S. by 2028 and that the automaker will reopen an idled plant in Illinois where it will build a new midsize pickup truck.
All agreements are four-and-a-half-year deals.
During his Facebook address, Fain also credited the UAW for Toyota's recent announcement that it was increasing salaries of nonunion U.S. factory workers. Toyota also says it will increase paid time off and also cut the amount of time it takes U.S. production workers to reach top pay from eight years to four.
Strike Timeline
- August 25: UAW members authorize leaders to call a strike against the Detroit Big Three automakers.
- August 27: UAW ratifies interim agreement immediately raising salaries at GM's Ultium cells battery plant.
- August 31: Ford offers a general wage increase of 9% along with a 6% lump sum award. Read the offer here.
- September 6: Reuters reports the UAW reportedly makes a counteroffer to Ford.
- September 7: Ford announces that on Labor Day it raised the pay for nearly 8,000 U.S. hourly workers represented by the UAW. The raise amounts to roughly $9,000 a year without overtime and the increase is a provision of a 2019 contract.
- September 7: GM makes a 10% wage hike counteroffer to the UAW, an offer the UAW president calls "insulting", as reported by Reuters. (Last week, the UAW filed unfair labor practice charges against GM with the National Labor Relations Board.
- September 7: Ford reportedly met with the UAW Thursday afternoon and according to the Detroit Free Press improved its offer.
- September 8: Stellantis gives UAW its first offer that reportedly includes wage hikes totaling 14.5% for most workers, according to the Detroit Free Press. (The UAW recently filed unfair labor practice charges against Stellantis as well as GM.)
- September 8: The UAW calls Stellantis' offer "deeply unfair".
- September 11: According to Reuters, the UAW reports some progress in talks but still no agreement with a strike deadline three days away. Reuters also reported that the UAW has reduced its wage demands. The news outlet also reported that GM extended a revised offer over the weekend, with Stellantis planning to make a counteroffer to the UAW's revised offer. Read the article here.
- September 13: Ford shares the latest on its negotiation offer.
- September 14: GM says it made a historic offer to the UAW with 20% wage increases.
- September 14: Ford released an evening statement about the ongoing negotiations.
- September 14: At 11:59PM UAW workers walk of the job at three plants, one from each automaker.
- September 18: UAW President Shawn Fain says strike will expand unless "serious progress" is made by noon Friday.
- September 20: Automotive News reports GM and Stellantis layoffs due to idled plants or parts issues.
- September 20: GM President Mark Reuss criticizes UAW for its rhetoric and over "flow of misinformation" - CNBC
- September 21: Leaked private messages from a top UAW official evoke outrage from automakers.
- September 22: UAW says it will expand strike against GM and Stellantis but not Ford. It is targeting 38 distribution centers in 20 states.
- September 22: Stellantis shares its response to the UAW.
- September 22: Ford releases a new statement.
- Week of September 25th: Tensions escalate both in negotiations and on the picket lines.
- September 26th: President Joe Biden joins a UAW picket line in Michigan.
- September 27th: Former President Donald Trump visits a non-union automotive plant in Michigan.
- September 29: UAW goes on strike against two additional plants, one GM and one Ford. The UAW spares Stellantis this week.
- September 29: Ford issues a statement.
- October 3: Ford issues new statement regarding new offer extended to UAW on Monday night.
- October 5: Reuters reports that GM said it extended another offer to the UAW.
- October 6: UAW says it will not strike GM's Arlington assembly plant at this time due to a breakthrough in negotiations.
- October 9: Stellantis lays off more workers due to strike.
- October 10: GM faces a strike in Canada where 4,300 Unifor workers walked off the job.
- October 10: GM reaches tentative deal with Unifor so strike is short lived.
- October 11: UAW strikes Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant.
- October 11: Ford issues statement.
- October 13: UAW President Shawn Fain does not announce any additional strikes but says it could at any time.
- October 16: Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford urges UAW to end the strike.
- October 17: Stellantis announces it will cancel its planned display and presentations at CES 2024 due to the ongoing UAW strike.
- October 19: Ford announced it laid off another 150 workers at its Sterling Heights axle plant on Wednesday.
- October 19: Stellantis lays off another 100 workers at its Toledo Machining plant.
- October 20: UAW President Shawn Fain threatens more strike action but does not announce additional walkouts.
- October 23: UAW Strikes Stellantis' Ram truck plant in Michigan. 6,800 workers walk off the job.
- October 23: Anderson Economic Group shares cumulative loss estimates through the fifth week of the strike.
- October 24: UAW strikes GM's Arlington large SUV assembly plant.
- October 25: UAW and Ford reach tentative deal.
- October 28: UAW and Stellantis reach tentative deal.
- October 28: UAW workers walk off job at GM's Cadillac and GMC plant in Spring Hill, TN.
- October 30: UAW and GM reach tentative deal.
General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra addresses investors Thursday, November 17, 2022 at a meeting in New York, New York. Photo Credit: GM.