A months-long nationwide UAW strike could be coming to an end with final agreement.
Following several weeks of negotiations and a statewide Stand Up Strike that began on September 15, the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford Motor Company announced on October 25, 2023 that they had reached an agreement in principle to work together. UAW President Shawn Fain expressed his elation with the result, stating that despite the company's record revenues, the union would not back down from its fight for a fair deal. Fain was ecstatic about the results. Fain claimed, "We received results from our Stand Up Strike that are unmatched by anyone else. Following our departure, Ford boosted their offer by a factor of fifty percent. The workers will see significant benefits as a result of this arrangement.
Chuck Browning, Vice President of the UAW, concurred with this assessment and emphasized the unwavering support of union members during the strike. Browning stated that "our union has united in a way that we haven't seen in years," referring to the past several years. In order to reach a historic agreement, the members of our organization from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico worked together.
Patrick Gaspard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for American Progress, praised the United Auto Workers and American autoworkers in general for their dedication to fairness and respect in the workplace. Similarly, Gaspard lauded the administration of Vice President Joe Biden for its efforts to safeguard the rights of workers. He went on to say "This tentative agreement reportedly rolls back several of the worst relics from the Great Recession, addressing inequities in the tiered wage system and restoring cost-of-living increases and minimum salaries."
Even though many of the intricacies of the contract are still up in the air, members of the United Auto Workers are thrilled and optimistic about the future. As negotiations continue, there is a great likelihood that agreements comparable to those reached with GM and Stellantis will be reached. As Gaspard pointed out, "This tentative agreement between Ford and the UAW is something we should all celebrate, and we are eager for General Motors and Stellantis to arrive at agreements as well."
