97 Percent of UAW Members Approve Strike Action

In news that surprises no one, members of the UAW have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike should their contracts expire in mid-September.

These votes are generally seen as a formality, part of the union’s constitution and often viewed as part of the negotiation procedure. It doesn’t cement that there will or will be a strike but does give leverage in the bargaining process. “Our goal is not to strike,” UAW President Shawn Fain said earlier today during a Facebook Live event. “I want to make that very clear. Our goal is to bargain good agreements for our members.” He then went on to say how this particular vote prepares all hands in the event action is taken on the path to new contracts.

It is being reported that union demands include a 46 percent wage increase over the next four years, a 32-hour work week for 40 hours' pay, rolling over current supplemental employees to full-time, some cost-of-living adjustments, plus pensions and retiree health care for all. It is suggested these items could drive total labor costs over $100 per hour, nearly double the cost estimated to be borne by some foreign automakers and the crew at Tesla.

Readers with sharp memories will recall the Detroit Three have seen fat margins as of late, some of which were shared with UAW employees through profit-sharing payouts. Some 40,500 eligible workers at Stellantis may have pocketed up to $14,760 while The General paid out up to $12,750 to 42,300 eligible UAW hourly employees. Ford’s largesse was slightly smaller. However, temporary and supplemental workers don't receive profit-sharing checks, which is one of the points in this year’s negotiations.

The union says they have over $800 million in their war chest, with designs on doling out $500 per week in strike pay should job action be taken next month. As for rhetoric being slung around during these negotiations, former Ford CEO Mark Fields actually said the words “Wages don’t really matter much if you don’t have jobs.” Oof. A summary of the members' demands can be found here.

[Image: UAW]

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