UAW Warns Dodge Durango Assembly May Leave U.S.
The United Automobile Workers(UAW) is presently beefing with Stellantis leadership and has yet to let up. On Monday, the union filed federal unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board over claims that the automaker has refused to provide information regarding product commitments outlined in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement. The UAW is concerned that Stellantis will attempt to move Dodge Durango production out of the United States — which it says would also be a violation of the aforementioned union agreement.
UAW Files Federal Labor Charges Trump, Musk for Union Intimidation Tactics
Following a livestream event on X (formerly known as Twitter) in which Elon Musk and Donald Trump talked about a variety of topics, the UAW has filed federal labor charges against them claiming remarks were made with an intent to threaten and intimidate union workers.
QOTD: How Can Unions Break Through in the South?
The UAW scored a victory at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga earlier this year before falling short with Mercedes-Benz in Alabama last week.
Workers at Mercedes-Benz's Alabama Plant Shut Down UAW Efforts - For Now
The United Autoworkers Union (UAW) scored a big win with the Tennessee-based VW plant’s vote to organize, but it’s not infallible. Last week, workers at Mercedes-Benz’s facility in Alabama voted against unionizing, with 56 percent saying they were against it. While the situation isn’t a total defeat for the UAW, it will have to wait a year to try again, and America’s political climate could have shifted dramatically by then.
Southern Unionization Remains An Uphill Battle As Governors Caution Against UAW
With the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America International Union (UAW) seeking to expand in the Southern United States, Republican governors have started to condemn the action on the grounds that it would be detrimental to the economy. Governors in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas released a joint statement against the UAW shortly before Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, were supposed to begin voting on whether or not to unionize.
UAW Announces Volkswagen Workers Filing for Unionization Vote in Tennessee
Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, TN, have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a vote to join the UAW. Clearly pleased, the union shared this world with the news on Monday to be accompanied by the requisite media agitprop.
This will be the first time a non-union automotive plant has filed for a union election in quite some time. The UAW called it a “grassroots effort” following the UAW’s previous contract negotiations with Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.
UAW Predictably Endorses Biden for President
Despite trying to stay away from politicians during last year’s labor strike, United Auto Workers’ leadership endorsed Joe Biden for president on Wednesday. This comes after union-head Shawn Fain said UAW dealings with domestic automakers would not be undermined by those seeking to garner political support. Now, Fain is backing Biden on claims that his administration supports the American workforce.
Nippon Steel Set to Buy U.S. Steel, Union Dismayed
On Monday, Japan's Nippon Steel expressed its intention to purchase the United States Steel Corporation. The iconic American business supplies numerous industries, with the automotive sector being one of the largest.
Nippon Steel is reportedly offering a deal worth $14.9 billion and the assumption of any debt. However, the United Steel Workers don’t seem pleased with the arrangement and were said to have backed an earlier offer from domestic rival Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. totaling $7.25 billion.
Report: Lamborghini Implementing Four Day Work Week
At the start of autumn months, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) launched a strike amid contract negotiations with domestic carmakers. Initial demands were lofty, designed to force the industry into making compromises that benefited union labor, and included things like a four-day work week for those on the assembly line.
While dubbed ridiculous by some Americans, Lamborghini now appears to be offering its workers a three-day weekend in Europe. The involved unions claimed it was the first time in the European automotive sector reduced hours while simultaneously increasing wages.
Ford Issues Official Statement On UAW Contract Ratification
While the United Auto Workers’ contract seems to be a done deal for all three Detroit-based automakers, Ford is the only brand that’s issued any formal statements on ratification thus far. But there’s not much to pick apart in the release. The company avoided opportunities to promote itself as the brand that seemed most willing to accommodate the UAW and only brushed against assertions that paying workers more would add to its operational costs.
United Auto Workers Ratify New Labor Contract
Despite several large facilities voting against the UAW labor contract negotiated with Detroit automakers, the deal has been ratified by union members from both General Motors and Stellantis. This is based on the UAW’s own vote tracker and has put to bed any serious fears that GM might have to reenter negotiations.
While Ford’s voting hasn’t yet reached the point where we can say anything definitive, its negotiations with the union also went the best. The Blue Oval offered sweeter deals than rival automakers and sooner, too. It’s on the brink of ratification and may even have reached that point by the time you’re reading this.
UAW Contract Voting Has Been Mixed Thus Far
Unionized Ford workers in Louisville, Kentucky, and General Motors employees from Spring Hill, Tennessee, have voted no on the contract agreement reached by the United Auto Workers. While this only represents a fraction of the UAW votes needed to ratify the updated contract, it’s a sign that the deal hasn’t yet gone through and may not if the trend continues.
Stellantis/UAW Deal Spills Tea on Future Product
One of the most common refrains from automaker PR departments is “we cannot comment on future product.” Fortunately, the recent agreement between Stellantis and the UAW blew the doors wide open on that particular topic – at least for the Auburn Hills company.
Report: Toyota Boosts Wages Ahead of UAW Ratification Votes
While the United Automobile Workers (UAW) are preparing to vote on contract proposals offered by Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, non-union Toyota is increasing hourly wages. Hourly compensation has increased for the automaker’s U.S. manufacturing, distribution center, and logistics employees. It’s also offering more paid time off than before and reducing the time it takes for workers to reach top-tier compensation.
Considering Toyota had already issued two pay bumps for 2023, seeing a third is a bit of a surprise and likely has everything to do with the results of the UAW strike.
Who Actually ‘Won’ the UAW Strike? Are Union Pay Bumps Sustainable?
Despite rampant talk about how the United Auto Workers’ stand-up strike and its resulting deals would bankrupt the automotive sector, the union strategy appears to have ended up costing the industry less than the labor strike GM endured all by its lonesome in 2019.
Canada’s Unifor Also Reaches Tentative Deal With All Automakers
Canadian union Unifor wrapped a very brief strike on Monday after reaching a tentative deal with Stellantis. The union’s actions didn’t even last a full day before workers were notified that the strike had ended.
The resulting deal mimics what we’ve seen offered to the UAW after taking on all three American automakers since mid-September, with the Canadian pay bumps looking a little leaner than the percentages seen in the United States. Still, it’s a pretty good deal yielding Unifor members a noteworthy increase in hourly wages and a shorter path to receive top-level pay.
UAW Reaches Tentative Deal With All Detroit Automakers, Striking Ends
The United Auto Workers have reached a tentative agreement with all three Detroit automakers. Ford was the first to strike a deal, followed by Stellantis. But General Motors wasn’t far behind and managed to settle things with the union early Monday morning. Based on comments from select UAW members in the know, the final issue reportedly revolved around EV battery plants.
Ford Reaches Tentative Deal With UAW, Workers Return
Striking Ford employees are heading back to the assembly line today after the United Auto Workers (UAW) union reached a tentative labor deal with the company late on Wednesday. While the agreement has yet to be ratified by union members and all details have yet to be made public, we know it includes a 25 percent wage hike over the life of the four-year contract, improved benefits, and the elimination of some of the tiered wages the union had been fighting against.
UAW Expands Strike Again, Targeting GM's Largest Plant
Just one day after the UAW went on strike at Stellantis’ pickup factory in Sterling Heights, roughly 5,000 union members walked off the line at General Motors’ plant in Arlington, Texas. The UAW is now targeting automaker’s most-profitable facilities, with Tuesday’s walkout suggesting that the industrial game of chicken could be nearing its final act.
UAW Broadens Strike to Target Stellantis Truck Plant
On Monday, United Auto Workers (UAW) members went on strike at Stellantis's biggest assembly plant. The move is part of the union’s plan to gradually ramp up pressure against all three of the American-based automakers the UAW is presently in contract negotiations with.
We’ve recently seen the union targeting increasingly important facilities after talks appear to have stagnated. Less progress seems to have been made in recent weeks, with unions ramping up pressure and corporations hoping to sway public opinion via the media.
Stellantis Pulls Out of LA, SEMA
Stellantis will not be at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show. Nor will it be at the upcoming Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas. This is due to the ongoing United Auto Workers' strike.
Stellantis Canceling CES Tech Show Presentation, Blames UAW Strike
Stellantis has announced plans to forego the 2024 CES trade expo on the grounds that it needs to save money while the UAW strike remains in progress.
Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford Asks UAW to End Strike
Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford has asked union members to come together and end the UAW strike before it hampers the business’ ability to invest in future products and facilities.
While it’s relatively uncommon to see top-ranking automotive executives discuss contract negotiations in the midst of a strike, the UAW has taken a decidedly more aggressive approach this time around and General Motors CEO Mary Barra has also made some public comments on the matter. Ford’s tactic seems to be split between hoping to evoke some public sympathy and having leadership issue veiled threats about future employment opportunities.
UAW Launches Surprise Strike Against Ford Kentucky Truck Plant
The United Auto Workers (UAW) launched an unexpected strike against Ford Motor Company, targeting its extremely important truck works in Kentucky. While the plan was always to gradually turn up the volume on the industry, hoping to extend the union strike budget while inflicting the maximum desired effect on automakers during contract negotiations, this decision represents a major blow against Ford.
Those pickups are incredibly important to Blue Oval’s bottom line and the UAW knows it better than anyone. In fact, Ford has already released a list of 13 plants that will be impacted by the latest action taken by the union. Layoffs and potential work stoppages are anticipated in the days to come.
Unifor Strike Targets General Motors in Canada
While the United Auto Workers (UAW) decided to implement an aggressive strike campaign that bucks some of the historical trends American union leadership feels did not serve the cause in the past, Canada’s Unifor has vowed to take a more measured approach during its contract negotiations with the industry. However, that does not mean simply rolling over for automakers in order to strike any old deal.
Last week, Unifor criticized General Motors for failing to meet important elements of its pattern agreement with Ford Motor Company. With both sides failing to make any tentative agreements by the Monday deadline, Unifor has announced plans to strike in Ontario — hindering the company’s ability to manufacture light and heavy-duty pickups.
UAW Strike News Roundup
With the United Auto Workers (UAW) still striking, there have been some minor updates. Though nothing that’s likely to result in any major changes.
The union has submitted a response to a General Motors offer as picketing continues against all three Detroit-based automakers, Ford is laying off an additional 300 employees due to supply chain complications created by the strike, and the UAW has successfully negotiated a tentative deal on its 5-year contract with Mack Trucks.
UAW Announces Another Strike Expansion
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has decided to broaden its strike on Friday. This week’s targets include Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant, responsible for the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, and General Motors’ Lansing Delta Township Assembly, responsible for the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave.
Stellantis managed to dodge the bullet this time around, with union leadership citing progress made in contract negotiations. It seems the union liked what the automaker had to say regarding the right to strike over plant closures and cost-of-living adjustments. Ford managed to achieve something similar last week. But with the UAW hoping to pit the companies against each other by subjecting them all to strikes, it was inevitable that Blue Oval would be back under union scrutiny.
Biden Visits UAW Picket Lines
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden went to Michigan to join the United Auto Workers auto workers on the picket line after the union expanded striking to 38 additional GM and Stellantis facilities. While Ford has made significant headway with the UAW, even stalling construction of a Michigan battery plant as talks progress, it’s likewise still subject to strikes.
Considering UAW leadership has been extremely clear that it doesn’t want politicians interfering with negotiations since day one, it’s unclear what Biden will be doing during his trip. Thus far, he’s given a few speeches and pledged his support for unionized labor. But his position on electric vehicles has left the UAW with a lukewarm attitude.
Report: Suppliers Asking Automakers for Pricing Concessions Over UAW Strike
Ramifications from the UAW's strike against Detroit automakers was always going to reverberate throughout the industry and suppliers are asking for some concessions. But the reason isn’t wholly down to some of the obstacles created by the recent work stoppages and the long term implications are beginning to mount.
UAW Strikes Slated to Expand Next Week
America’s automotive union has committed itself to expanding strikes if leadership feels meaningful progress has not been made by the end of this week. UAW President Shawn Fain has said more factories would be called up to picket if the state of contract negotiations are still deemed lacking on Friday.
While the union hasn’t indicated which (or how many) facilities would be joining the strike, messaging from the UAW has tried to convey to the public that it’s serious about having its demands met and will do whatever it takes to reach its contract goals.
UAW Cites Slow Negotiations as Strike Continues, Snubs Politicians
Contract negotiations between Detroit automakers and the UAW resumed over the weekend with union leadership signaling that little progress had been made. Despite Stellantis having matched the 20-percent raises offered by GM and Ford over the weekend, UAW President Shawn Fain has said the overall agreements remain unsatisfactory.
As mentioned in our earlier coverage, the union is seeking a 40 percent raise across the board through 2027 — resulting in roughly $25 an hour (around $52,000 per year) for starting employees. Some of the benefits, many of which had been rolled back as concessions during the 2008 financial crisis, are also sticking points. Fain wants workers to see those benefits restored, claiming the industry can easily afford them.
What's the Deal? UAW Strike Deadline Nears With No Contracts Signed
Last week, Stellantis slid the United Auto Workers (UAW) a contract proposal that would raise hourly workers' pay by 14.5 percent over the next four years. The deal is roughly on par with the 15 percent initially offered by Ford and 16 percent from General Motors. It likewise said it would provide workers $10,500 in inflation-related bonuses while GM offered $11,000 at GM and Ford said it could swing $12,000. Though Stellantis doesn’t appear to be offering any contract ratification bonuses, whereas others manufacturers said they’d be happy to throw in another $5,500.
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.
UAW Makes Sizable Demands of GM, Ford, Stellantis
There has been loads of speculation about what the United Automobile Workers would be asking for during this year’s contract negotiations, with the assumption being that demands would be fairly lofty. Much of this was fueled by statements made by UAW leadership, especially those coming from President Shawn Fain.
Following its massive corruption scandal, union members sought a change in management and Fain is eager to prove himself as on the side of workers. He’s taken a more-adversarial approach to the industry than his predecessors and has promised to make up for ground lost over the last few decades. While demands were initially left vague, the UAW has since shared a series of specific proposals to be brought forward during contract negotiations with Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. Compared to the standards we’ve become accustomed to, they are indeed lofty.
Union Bargaining Begins in Detroit
The United Auto Workers (UAW) is commencing contract negotiations with General Motors, Stellantis, and the Ford Motor Company this week. Members of the union’s executive board, along with UAW President Shawn Fain, appeared outside Stellantis' Sterling Heights Assembly Plant early Wednesday morning to draw attention to the talks.
The plan is to see each manufacturer as a preamble to the formal negotiations, which technically begin on Friday. But the union is also desperate to show itself in a better light after expansive corruption scandals implicated some of its now-ousted top brass. For most people living in North America, wages haven’t kept pace with the cost of living and inflationary pressures are exacerbating the issue. If there was ever a time to get the American public back on the side of unions, it’s now.
Report: Ohio Court Orders Limited UAW Picketing
A little over a week ago, a few hundred workers went on strike at the Clarios battery plant in Holland, Ohio, over failed labor negotiations. While picketing is standard practice for UAW members dissatisfied with their contracts, the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas issued the restraining order on Friday to prevent striking workers from disrupting business operations and creating an allegedly unsafe environment.
UAW Votes Out Establishment Leadership, Shawn Fain Becomes New Prez
Over the weekend, Shawn Fain was declared the winner over incumbent Ray Curry in the United Auto Workers’ presidential runoff election. While the race was tight, and the results had to be delayed so a federally appointed monitor to examine some 1,600 challenged ballots, members effectively voted out the Reuther Administrative Caucus which has controlled the union for decades.
UAW Election Results Delayed Due to Challenged Ballots
Results of the United Auto Workers (UAW) presidential runoff election are being delayed so that a federally appointed monitor can look into challenged ballots. The union’s Election Vendor began mailing ballots to members in January. However, the race has been extremely close, with Shawn Fain leading incumbent Ray Curry by several fractions of a percent and there are now concerns over unresolved ballots.
UAW Vying to Represent GM Battery Plant Employees
On Monday, the United Auto Workers (UAW) announced that it is seeking to represent workers employed by the Ohio-based joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy. The union said that it had filed a petition on behalf of 900 people building Ultium battery cells, saying that a majority of the plant’s workforce had already signed cards indicating that they wanted UAW representation.
U.S. Asks Mexico to Investigate Stellantis' Labor Practices
The United States has requested that Mexico investigate worker rights violations that were alleged to have taken place at one of the parts factories owned by Stellantis. Officials are curious about what’s been happening at Teksid Hierro de Mexico, a facility located in the border state of Coahuila that’s responsible for manufacturing iron casings, in regard to unionization. According to U.S. officials, this is the fourth such complaint under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Having supplanted the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed into law by the Clinton administration in 1993, USMCA sought to rebalance trade laws the Trump administration believed had disadvantaged the United States. However, it also sought to advance worker protections in Mexico and give employees an easier pathway toward unionization.
Setting the Stage? Mexican Auto Employees Elect Independent Union
When the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was being floated as a possible replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), one of the biggest selling points was the inclusion of new labor protections for Mexican workers. The Trump administration wanted to ensure serious labor reform took place south of the border to ensure union business was conducted responsibly and wages would increase. As a byproduct, USMCA is supposed to encourage North American synergies while gradually discouraging U.S. businesses from blindly sending jobs to Mexico to capitalize on poverty tier wages.
That theory will now be tested in earnest after General Motors employees from the Silao full-size truck plant voted overwhelmingly to dump the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM) for the Independent Syndicate of National Workers (SINTTIA).
GM Canada Tells Unvaccinated Workers to Stay Home, Union Unhelpful
Unvaccinated workers from General Motors’ CAMI Assembly Plant have been removed from the facility and forced into unpaid leave. The automaker had a deadline set for December 12th to have all employees vaccinated, with Unifor previously having urged the company to postpone the date. The Western world has seen a surge of citizens protesting vaccine mandates this year, with Canadian unions conducting more than a few of their own. Though several organizers have said they’re operating independently due to a shared belief that Unifor was offering insufficient support to members and was effectively siding with automakers.
Report: Biden Admin May Link Semiconductor Subsidies to Unions
Despite the semiconductor shortage having encouraged the automotive sector to repeatedly idle factories, word on the ground is that things are becoming more stable. Companies are seeing less production downtime overall and workers are reporting more reliable working conditions across the board. However, several automakers have continued to express concerns (e.g. Volvo), alleging that chip shortages could stretch deep into 2022, while the U.S. government ponders how to advance chip production in-country and become less dependent on Asian suppliers.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has been touring Michigan, meeting with union members and industry heads, and plans to urge Congress to move on a $52 billion in funding bill aimed at boosting domestic production. We’ve questioned the efficacy of the CHIPS Act before, primarily in relation to how the subsidies would be allocated. But there are new concerns that the plan will mimic the Biden administration’s EV subsidies by spending heaps of taxpayer money and giving union-backed organizations a larger cut.
Drama at Volkswagen After CEO Suggests 30,000 Job Cuts
Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess has been facing off with the company’s German workforce for weeks over the changing nature of the business. VW vowed to transition itself toward an all-electric lineup following the 2015 diesel emissions scandal. But the necessary steps to get there haven’t been universally appreciated.
The general assumption has always been that electric vehicles would result in massive layoffs across the industry by nature of their needing fewer parts than internal combustion vehicles. But Volkswagen seems worried that it’s falling behind smaller rivals and needs to take decisive action to make sure it’s not outdone by firms operating in the United States and China. The proposed solution is an industrial overhaul designed to fast-track VW’s electrification goals. Unfortunately, German labor unions are convinced that this plan would incorporate massive layoffs and have become disinclined to offer their support. The issue worsened in September when Diess told the supervisory board that a slower-than-desired transition to EVs could result in 30,000 fewer jobs.
Vaccine Mandates Being Considered By Auto Industry, UAW
With the Biden administration having announced that it would start requiring companies to vaccinate employees, automakers and UAW are finding themselves in a sticky situation. Unions had previously said they wanted to hold off on endorsing or opposing mandatory vaccinations until after they discussed things with the industry and their own members. Considering Joe Biden said he wouldn’t make vaccines mandatory less than 10 months ago, employers are getting caught with their pants around the proverbial ankles.
Automakers had previously been surveying white-collar workers to see what they wanted to do while upping on-site COVID restrictions, but operating under the impression that any hard decisions were likely a long way off and left entirely to their discretion. Now the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is planning a new standard that requires all employers with 100 (or more) employees to guarantee their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any unvaccinated workers to produce a negative test result on a minimum weekly basis.
Auto Suppliers Just Realized EVs Will Cost Them Jobs
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) has informed a Senate Commerce subcommittee on transportation that the Biden Administration’s penchant for electric vehicles is starting to get under its skin. The union is recommending that the United States avoid setting any timeline for the proposed banning of internal combustion vehicles because it might cost a staggering number of jobs.
Ann Wilson, MEMA’s senior vice president of government affairs, said vehicle restrictions were unrealistic before 2040 and would obliterate entire segments of the auto industry without providing concrete assurances that the environment would be improved. While the latter claim can be argued endlessly, the former is pretty difficult to refute.
UAW Reaches Corruption Settlement With Justice Department
The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a proposed civil settlement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) in the gigantic corruption case that absorbed two former presidents and a slew of union officers over the last few years. With many involved already serving the first part of their prison sentence, the UAW has reportedly agreed to hold a referendum among the rank-and-file to change the way it elects the top brass. The proposal predictably includes some court oversight designed to catch any new instances of fraud coming from inside the union but doesn’t appear to address the corporate aspect.
As a positive, it’s not assumed that the union will see a complete government takeover. Like laundry, it’s already better to separate your alleged corruption to create legal buffer zones.
GM Says Labor Disputes Are Making South Korea Look Unmanageable
Over the last few years, General Motors has been cautiously hinting that it wants to pull out the Korean market. In 2018, the automaker started worrying about regional bankruptcy and shuttered one of its South Korean facilities after noting that labor costs had been on the rise. While the government handed GM 850 billion won ($712.85 million) in industrial aid to stick around, the region is known for labor disputes. We even celebrated the fact that South Korean Hyundai failed to strike in 2019. General Motors was less fortunate, however.
The Detroit-based company is once again discussing abandoning the market and citing labor issues as the primary cause. Employees have been organizing limited daily strikes since October 30th. Despite only lasting part of a single shift, it’s impacting production and will only end once the automaker ends a wage freeze enacted during the aforementioned deal in 2018.
Unifor Ratifies GM Labor Agreement, Oshawa Saved
Unifor members overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract with General Motors, effectively ending the union’s 2020 auto bargaining with Detroit automakers. Members backed the contract with 85 percent approval and secured meaningful investments into Canada’s automotive industry, including the $1 billion (USD) investment that saves Oshawa Assembly. It’s an important victory for the union and the Canadian auto workers it represents.
“This contract solidifies and boldly builds on GM’s Canadian footprint, with a $1.3 billion dollar investment that brings 1,700 jobs to Oshawa plus more than $109 million to in-source new transmission work for the Corvette and support continued V8 engine production in St. Catharines,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. “Jobs at all three Canadian sites are secure for the life of this agreement, including at the Woodstock Parts Distribution Centre, which will also see upgrades.”
Unifor Prepares to Strike After FCA Negotiations Go Sideways [UPDATED]
Canada’s preferred choice in unions, Unifor, warned that contract negotiations with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles were progressing slower than anticipated over the weekend. By Wednesday, news of a strike had begun brewing over social media. Local 444 was issuing FCA-WAP bargaining updates on Twitter and Facebook that included marching orders in the event that the day’s discussions didn’t end in a handshake.
“To ensure we are prepared for a strike, or strike coordinators have been working to finalize the details needed in order to begin, if and when necessary,” the union wrote to members. “If a tentative agreement is reached by 11:59pm October 14th, without an extension in place, then Local 444 along with brothers and sisters across the country at all FCA facilities will be on strike. As the talks continue late into the night, any updates will be posted to our social media pages and web page.”
That scenario is looking increasingly likely, especially as Unifor has explained there was little progress to report all afternoon. It also opened this week suggesting contract talks were “not quite where we feel [they] should be with this limited amount of time left on the clock.”
Another Former UAW President Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement
Dennis Williams, the former president of the United Auto Workers, pleaded guilty to embezzling union funds on Wednesday. His copping to the conspiracy charge comes after his successor, Gary Jones, similarly pleaded guilty to misappropriating more than $1.5 million from the UAW in June. They’re joined by numerous co-conspirators that have been caught in a gigantic federal probe hoping to address union corruption and appears to have hit pay dirt.
Appearing by video in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, Williams entered his plea and apologized about the current state of the UAW. “I want to close by apologizing to this court, to my family and to each and every hard-working member paying dues,” he said. “I hope by accepting responsibility for my actions and for my failures, this process might help restore the faith in our union.”
GM Files State Lawsuits Against FCA Over Racketeering Claims
General Motors refuses to let the dismissal of its federal racketeering case against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles stand in the way of getting what it believes is true justice. On Monday, the automaker filed its latest claim with Wayne County Circuit Court in Michigan. These are separate from the New Jersey lawsuit it has targeting former board member and ex-UAW vice president Joe Ashton, who GM has accused of being a hired mole. However, Ashton was named in the trio of new court filings, along with Alphons Iacobelli — the man who pled guilty to embezzling union funds and kicked off a gigantic federal corruption investigation into the UAW.
The automaker also named some of the banks it claimed were involved in the union scandal and continues to allege that FCA “provided millions of dollars to co-conspirators via numerous undisclosed offshore bank accounts and utilized such accounts to purchase the support and silence of numerous high-level UAW officers and FCA executives.” Fiat Chrysler’s assumed goal? Forcing General Motors into a merger or destroy it if the merger failed by negotiating favorable terms with the union and encouraging leadership into adopting positions that would harm GM.
Ford Chosen by Unifor as Canadian Bargaining Target
Unifor has selected the Ford Motor Company as its target for collective bargaining. Once negotiations conclude, the union will be using the terms established with the automaker to lay the groundwork for pattern deals with General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
While the talks have not yet begun, we already know Unifor wants to cement production commitments in Oakville, Ontario, where Ford is rumored to be ending Edge assembly. It would also like to secure deals for FCA plants in Brampton and Windsor. Naturally, the union will also be demanding wage increases — though this is sometimes the most contentious issue. Contract talks from 2016 became stuck in the mud over higher pay until Ford insisted employees remain subject to a 10-year wage grow-in that union members had been split on. It’s unclear if that will remain the case in 2020 but we genuinely haven’t had high hopes for the Union pulling out anything that resembles a major victory.
UAW Predictably Endorses Biden for President
With very little going on in the automotive realm amid the pandemic, we decided to check in on the United Auto Workers to see if another chapter had been added to the organization’s ongoing corruption scandal. Not much news on that front, though the union did announce its pick for presidential candidate. On Tuesday, it publicly embraced Joe Biden.
While Biden has long been the presumed UAW favorite, a March confrontation with a Detroit factory worker over the former vice president’s 2nd Amendment policies briefly resulted in a cadre of union members pushing back against the candidate over social media. At the time, the situation looked to have done real damage to his prospects of getting union endorsements in the Midwest. However, it seems the outrage was short-lived. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has taken great strides to appeal to factory workers living in states like Michigan and Ohio — measures that clearly helped get him elected in 2016.
Recall the UAW came out rather aggressively against Trump prior to the last election and ultimately endorsed Hilary Clinton. With that in mind, it would be almost unthinkable to see the union change course. It was probably always going to be Biden; the union just needed to make an the obligatory announcement.
UAW Names Independent Ethics Officer, Creates Moral Advisory Committee and Hotline
Hoping to bounce back from its ongoing corruption scandal, the UAW announced the placement of its new independent ethics officer on Wednesday. The union group expressed a need for an independent ethics officer after Rory Gamble took over for defamed former UAW President Gary Jones late last year.
“As the acting president, I’m committed to putting in place the right mechanisms to safeguard our union, regaining the trust of our members, and ensuring the misconduct that has recently come to light will never happen again,” Jones explained in November. “That is why I am ordering immediate actions that will lay the foundation for a more transparent, more accountable, and more responsible future for our union.”
The UAW then launched an national search for an ethics officer. This week, it settled on former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board Wilma Liebman.
UAW Executive Board Names New VP, Director of Ford Department
Gerald Kariem has been unanimously selected by the UAW’s executive board to become its new vice president and director of the Ford department. Kariem, 63, has been a board member himself for almost ten years and currently oversees Region 1D. His placement frees up Rory Gamble to handle more presidential duties (Gamble having taken on the top role in November after former UAW President Gary Jones resigned amid a federal corruption investigation).
“Gerald brings a wealth of leadership in contract implementation, and he will be able to pick up on the recently ratified Ford contract,” Gamble said in a statement. “His experience in implementing the merger of Regions 1C and 1D and building teamwork through his leadership will be invaluable as we implement reforms within the UAW.”
UAW Fire Update: Still Looking Somewhat Sketchy
The Detroit Fire Department has been going back and forth on the July 13th fire at the United Automobile Workers’ headquarters since its investigation began. Arson was initially on the table before being swiftly ruled out, and the probe continued by private investigators contending with insurance claims, seemingly free of suspicion.
Investigators now believe the fire could have been set intentionally, without attaching any conviction to those claims.
“I was told at the time that they did not think it was arson,” Detroit Fire Department Deputy Commissioner Dave Fornell told Automotive News in an interview from Monday. “That wasn’t a final verdict … When I did some inquiries with the press, I asked investigators and they were saying at that point it was ruled out.”
UAW Not Cooperating in Corruption Probe, Says U.S. Attorney
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Matthew Schneider, has said new details about the ever expanding UAW corruption probe have been trickling in. But he’s also criticizing the union for not providing adequate cooperation throughout the multi-year investigative process. Schneider indicated there was new evidence included additional details of malfeasance from former UAW President Gary Jones shared by the union in November. While the prosecutor did not offer details, he said it was the type of information that should have been reported to his office, not publicly.
Automotive News surmised he was likely referencing details released late last month by the union’s executive board in an effort to remove Jones and Region 5 Director Vance Pearson. That report included allegations that Jones let his daughter use a UAW-rented townhouse in Palm Springs, California. Sources familiar with the situation have confirmed that the union publicly released information against the two at roughly the same time it was handed it over to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Acting UAW President Promises Improved Conduct
With UAW President Gary Jones taking a leave of absence during a broadening corruption probe into the union, acting head Rory Gamble is attempting to reassure members that there’ll be no more funny business.
“I know recent events concerning members of our leadership have disappointed and angered many of you. I am angry as well, but I am not here to pre-judge anyone. I am here to take this union forward,” he wrote in a letter.
The message, published Tuesday, saw Gamble take a firm stance on corruption and a slightly softer one regarding previously accused (or convicted) union leaders.
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