(New York) The agreements in principle negotiated with the three major American automobile manufacturers Ford, Stellantis and General Motors were ratified by their unionized employees at the UAW, which led an unprecedented strike of more than six weeks, indicated Saturday in AFP a union source.
“All three are ratified,” this source simply said, regarding these agreements concluded by each manufacturer with the United Auto Workers union.
According to data published Thursday on the union’s website, approximately 55% of hourly employees at General Motors have given the green light to this contract which must apply for the next four years.
Unionized employees of Ford and Stellantis have now done the same with 67.4% of votes in favor at the first and 66.8% at the second, according to data appearing on the union website on Saturday.
Stellantis, owner of the Jeep and Chrysler brands in particular, confirmed this ratification in a press release.
“With the negotiations now officially behind us, we will focus all our attention on implementing our “Dare forward 2030” strategic plan and providing our customers with the high-quality products and technologies they want and expect », Commented Mark Stewart, operational director of the group, quoted in the press release.
Contacted by AFP, the union and Ford did not immediately react.
Shawn Fain, the UAW president elected in the spring, launched a movement unprecedented in the organization’s ninety-year history by launching a strike among Detroit’s “Big Three” at the same time.
From three plants employing 12,700 union workers to the start of the strike on September 15, the walkouts grew over the weeks to mobilize more sites and more than 45,000 of the 146,000 UAW members working for the three manufacturers.
All striking employees returned to work as soon as the agreements in principle were announced, without waiting for ratifications as is usual.
The union notably demanded a salary increase of 40% over four years, corresponding to that enjoyed by group leaders for four years.
“Record profits mean record contracts,” Mr. Fain repeated over and over again.
The agreements reached provide for an increase in base salary of 25% over the four years of the collective agreement, cost of living adjustment measures, social benefits, improvements for retirees, among others.
They also contain specificities depending on the group, such as at Stellantis in terms of employment, or the abandonment of the plan to close the Belvidere (Illinois) factory at General Motors.