Autoworkers' Union Reaches Deal with GM to End Strike
2023-10-31
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1The United Auto Workers (UAW) reached a tentative agreement with General Motors (GM) on Monday.
2The agreement once approved by UAW members will end the six-week work stoppage affecting the three biggest U.S. carmakers.
3The Associated Press reported that GM chief Mary Barra met with UAW leaders over the weekend and Monday morning to close the deal.
4The agreement follows similar deals the labor union reached in the last few days with Ford and Stellantis, the maker of Chrysler and Jeep.
5All three companies agreed to raise pay by 25 percent for top workers.
6People who are familiar with the agreement say that additional cost of living adjustments would bring their total pay increases to over 30 percent.
7At Stellantis, top workers now make around $31 an hour.
8Under the new deal, that will go up to more than $42 an hour.
9Nearly 50,000 auto workers out of nearly 150,000 union members at the three automakers joined the strike that began on September 15.
10The deals are seen as a victory for workers who had given up raises following the 2008 financial crisis to help the companies.
11UAW leaders argued that their contract fight was part of a much larger movement to make up for years of economic setbacks for American workers.
12"This is more than an auto industry story; it is a signal to the entire country that unionized workers can demand and get big wage increases," said Patrick Anderson of the Anderson Economic Group.
13U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday praised the tentative agreement. "I think it's great," he said.
14Biden had earlier joined striking workers at a General Motors parts center west of Detroit, Michigan.
15Biden's action represented the strongest-ever presidential support for striking workers in a labor dispute.
16Aides to Biden have been worried about a lengthy auto strike and drop in production.
17They were concerned that it would damage both the U.S. economy and the Democratic president's chances of re-election in 2024.
18The three automakers argued that the UAW's demands would greatly raise costs and put them in competition with non-union carmakers like America's Tesla and Japan's Toyota.
19The UAW said before the GM announcement that it wants to expand negotiations to other non-union carmakers in 2028.
20University of Michigan professor Erik Gordon observed that the strike results would likely lead non-union carmakers to raise pay and do "everything they can to keep the UAW out."
21I'm Jill Robbins.
1The United Auto Workers (UAW) reached a tentative agreement with General Motors (GM) on Monday. The agreement once approved by UAW members will end the six-week work stoppage affecting the three biggest U.S. carmakers. 2The Associated Press reported that GM chief Mary Barra met with UAW leaders over the weekend and Monday morning to close the deal. The agreement follows similar deals the labor union reached in the last few days with Ford and Stellantis, the maker of Chrysler and Jeep. 3All three companies agreed to raise pay by 25 percent for top workers. People who are familiar with the agreement say that additional cost of living adjustments would bring their total pay increases to over 30 percent. At Stellantis, top workers now make around $31 an hour. Under the new deal, that will go up to more than $42 an hour. 4Nearly 50,000 auto workers out of nearly 150,000 union members at the three automakers joined the strike that began on September 15. 5The deals are seen as a victory for workers who had given up raises following the 2008 financial crisis to help the companies. UAW leaders argued that their contract fight was part of a much larger movement to make up for years of economic setbacks for American workers. 6"This is more than an auto industry story; it is a signal to the entire country that unionized workers can demand and get big wage increases," said Patrick Anderson of the Anderson Economic Group. 7Biden says, "...great!" 8U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday praised the tentative agreement. "I think it's great," he said. 9Biden had earlier joined striking workers at a General Motors parts center west of Detroit, Michigan. Biden's action represented the strongest-ever presidential support for striking workers in a labor dispute. 10Aides to Biden have been worried about a lengthy auto strike and drop in production. They were concerned that it would damage both the U.S. economy and the Democratic president's chances of re-election in 2024. 11The three automakers argued that the UAW's demands would greatly raise costs and put them in competition with non-union carmakers like America's Tesla and Japan's Toyota. 12The UAW said before the GM announcement that it wants to expand negotiations to other non-union carmakers in 2028. 13University of Michigan professor Erik Gordon observed that the strike results would likely lead non-union carmakers to raise pay and do "everything they can to keep the UAW out." 14I'm Jill Robbins. 15Hai Do adapted this report for VOA Learning English from Associated Press and Reuters sources. 16__________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18tentative -n. still able to be changed; not fully completed 19cost of living adjustment -n. an increase in pay or other benefits a worker might receive that is meant to make up for rising prices or inflation 20signal -n. something that serves as a sign to everyone 21wage -n. worker pay based on the number of hours or days that are worked 22We want to hear from you. 23Our comment policy is here.