Faurecia Employees Strike After UAW Agreement Expires [Updated]
Workers represented by Local UAW 892 went on strike last night in Saline, Michigan. The union’s contract with Faurecia Interiors Systems, which expired on June 1st, was given a three-week contract extension to provide for negotiations. But, with no new deal on the table, employees walked out Friday at midnight. They’re demanding better wages, improved working conditions and profit sharing.
Plant workers have been complaining about conditions inside the plant to local media and online for several months, often citing plumbing issues and a leaky roof as the facility’s biggest problems.
“I’m not sure how it ends,” Kristina Bridges, an employee at Saline Faurecia Plant, told WXYZ Detroit this morning. “I hope they keep the employees in mind — I’m hoping that our union and our bargaining reps can come to a fair agreement where everyone across the board will be happy.”
With the site’s 1,900 employees serving multiple domestic automakers, supply chains will likely impacted. However, it’s too early to tell exactly how far reaching things will be. A quick resolution could circumvent any major issues but Ford has said it might start feeling the supply pinch almost immediately.
“UAW Local 892 and Faurecia have not reached a tentative agreement as of the expiration of the agreed-upon contract extension,” the UAW said in a statement. “As a result, Region 1A Director Chuck Browning has called for strike action against the Company effective at 12:05 a.m. June 21 as authorized by international President Gary Jones. Negotiators continue to bargain and updates will be provided as progress is made.”
Faurecia has made no announcements as of Friday morning.
[Update 6/21/2019: The strike appears to have ended within the first ten hours. UAW leadership and Faurecia both announced a tentative contract agreement was in place, adding that employees have been informed they can now return to work.]
[Image: James R. Martin/Shutterstock]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Well, at least we don't have someone commenting who is totally ignorant about VEBA.
Agree with SCE to AUX. It is very short sighted for a company not to fix something as essential as proper plumbing aspects ( read: toilets), and allow it to fester to the point where additional demands will creep in.