The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is on strike against General Motors (GM), Stellantis, and Ford. The strike began on September 15, 2023, and is still ongoing. The union is striking for better wages, benefits, and job security. The strike is significantly impacting the auto industry, with several plants being shut down or operating at reduced capacity.
The United Auto Workers union has recently reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Co. that includes a special separation package for hourly workers. The package consists of a $50,000 buyout for unlimited UAW members. The eligible parties must retire by December 1, 2024.
Workers with over 30 or more years of credited service, 55 or older with ten or more years of credited service, and workers aged 65 years or older with one or more years of credited service are eligible to apply for the retirement bonus.
Ford has many UAW employees whose family members have worked for the company for generations. Roderick Williams, 70, of Westland, has worked at the Dearborn Truck Plant since 1970. He has not yet retired but has said he plans to do so soon.
The UAW strike on the Detroit Three began on September 15. Ford reached a tentative agreement on October 25. Some 57,000 union members who work for Ford started the ratification vote on Wednesday. The process is expected to last until mid-November.
The longest UAW union strike was the 1945-1946 General Motors strike. The strike lasted 113 days and involved over 320,000 hourly workers. The strike resulted in significant gains for the UAW, including higher wages, better benefits, and greater job security.
The longest union strike in the history of the United States was the Kohler strike, which lasted 11 years from 1954 to 1965. The strike was a watershed moment in the history of the American labor movement.
It was the first significant strike to be organized by a black labor union, and it helped usher in a new era of militancy among American workers. The strike was also a significant victory for the labor movement, as it forced Kohler to recognize the United Auto Workers (UAW) as the bargaining agent for its employees.
