“UAW’s Big Three Victory! Union Members Rejoice Over 4½-Year Contract

On November 8, 2020, United Auto Workers (UAW) members ratified a historic national agreement with Detroit’s three automakers: Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford. The four-and-a-half year deal will cover 400,000 workers at the Big Three, making it one of the largest labor agreements in recent history. The agreement marks a major victory for the union as it is expected to raise wages and preserve job security. The UAW also secured a ratification bonus and lump sum payment for workers, an apprenticeship program to train a new generation of workers, and improvements to health care coverage. The contract also includes a commitment from the automakers to invest $5.3 billion into U.S. factories. This commitment comes during a critical time for the U.S. auto industry, which has been hit hard by the global pandemic. The joint UAW-Detroit automakers agreement also includes a historic provision that addresses workplace sexual harassment. This is the first time that a contract between a U.S. union and a major corporation has specifically addressed sexual harassment. The provision requires automakers to enforce anti-harassment policies, provide access to disclosure and resolution processes for victims, and take action against perpetrators. The UAW-Detroit automakers agreement not only features a number of monumental provisions that will benefit workers, but it also serves as a template for union-employer negotiations down the road. This agreement is a testament to the power of labor unions to shape modern work environments and improve the livelihoods of workers. On November 8, 2020, United Auto Workers (UAW) members ratified a historic national agreement with Detroit’s three automakers: Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford. The four-and-a-half year deal will cover 400,000 workers at the Big Three, making it one of the largest labor agreements in recent history. The agreement marks a major victory for the union as it is expected to raise wages and preserve job security. The UAW also secured a ratification bonus and lump sum payment for workers, an apprenticeship program to train a new generation of workers, and improvements to health care coverage. The contract also includes a commitment from the automakers to invest $5.3 billion into U.S. factories. This commitment comes during a critical time for the U.S. auto industry, which has been hit hard by the global pandemic. The joint UAW-Detroit automakers agreement also includes a historic provision that addresses workplace sexual harassment. This is the first time that a contract between a U.S. union and a major corporation has specifically addressed sexual harassment. The provision requires automakers to enforce anti-harassment policies, provide access to disclosure and resolution processes for victims, and take action against perpetrators. The UAW-Detroit automakers agreement not only features a number of monumental provisions that will benefit workers, but it also serves as a template for union-employer negotiations down the road. This agreement is a testament to the power of labor unions to shape modern work environments and improve the livelihoods of workers.