(PatriotWise.com) — The United Auto Workers union called off its 6-week strike this past Monday after reaching a tentative agreement with the last of the Big 3 automakers, General Motors, CBS News reported.
In a video message on social media, UAW President Shawn Fain announced that the union was officially suspending its strike but stopped short of saying when strikers would return to work.
The tentative agreement with General Motors, which will still need to be ratified by union members, is similar to the agreements worked out with Ford and Stellantis last week.
The deal includes a 25 percent wage increase over four and a half years with cost of living adjustments, according to the UAW. Workers from GM parts distributors, car care facilities, and the Brownstown, Michigan, plant will also be removed from the two-tier wage program. The deal also brings under the UAW national contract the GM workers from its manufacturing subsidiary, GM Subsystems, as well as the battery joint venture, Ultium Cells.
General Motors CEO Mary Barry confirmed the tentative deal on Monday, saying in a statement that the terms of the deal would still allow GM to provide good jobs.
The deal was reached just one day after UAW workers expanded their strike against GM by walking out of the Spring Hill, Tennessee factory, which employs around 4,000 workers.
In a statement on Monday, President Biden lauded the tentative agreement as “historic” and applauded the union and General Motors for reaching an agreement that would end the strike and get employees back to work.
The UAW launched the strike six weeks ago after the contracts with the Big 3 automakers expired on September 14. It was the first time the UAW targeted all three companies simultaneously.
At its peak, around 46,000 union workers were on strike.
It is estimated that the strike created $4.2 billion in losses for the automakers and resulted in lost wages of $488 million.
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