As voting continues on the tentative four-year contract between the United Auto Workers Union and General Motors, details of the plan have been released by the union showing that there’s a blend of bonus money, pay raise dollars and lump sum payments in the mix, but the deal also paves the way for final approval on the shutdown of factories in Warren, Michigan, Lordstown, Ohio and one near Baltimore.
Telling workers, “Your bargaining committee appreciates the sacrifice and solidarity of our members as we worked to achieve key gains through the Collective Bargaining Process,” the International President Gary Jones and Terry Dittes, the VP & Director for UAW’s GM Department proceeded to share a 21 page list of those gains.
Among them:
- Ratification Bonus: $11,000 for seniority employees, and $4,500 for temporary employees.
- Profit Sharing: A $12,000 cap on profit sharing payouts is eliminated, and all profits the company earns in North America will generate payments to members, based on the current $1,000 per $1-billion formula, with no limits.
- Those currently accruing service in the defined benefit pension plan will receive a one-time company contribution of $1,000 to the Personal Savings Plan.
- By September 4, 2023, all permanent manufacturing employees working as of the effective date of the contract will be at $32.32 per hour.
- Wage Increases: 3-percent general wage increases in the second and fourth years and 4-percent lump sums in the first and third years for eligible permanent manufacturing employees.
- Skilled Trades: $1,000 tooling allowance in 2019 and 2021.
- Vacation enhanced.
- $60,000 bonus for up to 2,000 eligible production and 60 eligible skilled employees who retire between December 31, 2019 and February 28, 2020 as determined under the normal and early retirement provisions of the national agreement.
- Beginning January 6, 2020, full-time workers gain a shortened path to permanent status, and beginning January 1, 2021 provides a path for part-time temporary workers to convert to regular status, also providing for improved paid and unpaid time off for temporary employees.
- Health Care: No change to the health care plan, and no additional costs to members of the union.
The union leadership also told members, “Collective bargaining is never easy. We don’t expect it to be easy. And striking is never an easy decision, but your sacrifices reminded General Motors of the power and might of solidarity. Brothers and sisters, we stood up with one loud, clear voice, and said ‘No More.'”
