UAW blindsides Stellantis as 6,800 workers strike Sterling Heights — which builds Ram trucks
The UAW announced a surprise stand-up strike at the Stellantis Assembly Plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan, where members build one of the company’s most profitable models — the Ram 1500, nearly half a million of which were sold in 2022. The strike brings the total number of workers who have walked off to more than 40,000, the Union said in its announcement Monday.
“Despite having the highest revenue, the highest profits (North American and global), the highest profit margins, and the most cash in reserve, Stellantis lags behind both Ford and General Motors in addressing the demands of their UAW workforce,” the UAW said. “Currently, Stellantis has the worst proposal on the table regarding wage progression, temporary worker pay and conversion to full-time, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), and more.”
UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday that there was “serious movement at Stellantis and GM” but that “these extremely profitable companies have more to give.”
“Time is on our side, the American public is on our side, and the facts are on our side,” he said.
This is the latest in a new phase of stand-up strikes that began October 11, when UAW workers truck Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant, where Local 862 members build Ford Super Duty pickups, the Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator.
Stellantis announced Friday that it will not attend SEMA, the Los Angeles Auto Show or CES due to the ongoing strike. The UAW strike now spanned five full weeks with no end in sight. The union has targeted specific plants from each U.S. automaker, including Stellantis, General Motors and Ford and the union has threatened to expand to more factories.
UAW, General Dynamics avert strike
Reuters
The United Auto Workers (UAW) union and General Dynamics have reached a tentative agreement over a new labor contract covering hundreds of workers at some of the U.S. defense contractor’s facilities, the company said on Monday, staving off a potential strike.
Shares of the company cut early losses to trade about flat in morning trading.
Earlier this month, over 1,000 UAW members in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania plants had voted to authorize a strike after a four-year agreement was set to expire on Oct. 22, 11.59 pm ET.
General Dynamics, one of the largest U.S. defense contractors, manufactures weapons systems, munitions, combat vehicles such as Abrams tanks – which are being used by Ukraine to repel Russian forces – and submarines. Its biggest customer is the U.S. government.
Like its peers, General Dynamics has struggled with supply and labor shortages at a time when weapons demand is on the rise due to the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and tensions in U.S.-China relations over Taiwan.
UAW members at the company make military vehicles including tanks and light armored vehicles, according to the union.
UAW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Details of the proposed agreement, which needs to be ratified by UAW workers, were not immediately available.
A tight U.S. labor market, the expiry of multiple union contracts and high living costs have led to tough negotiations for pay hikes and benefits, triggering strikes and protests across industries.
General Dynamics has said it expects to negotiate the terms of 28 agreements with unions and works councils, covering about 12,600 employees this year. The company has a global workforce of 106,500 employees as of February.
