GM Union Workers Settle It: UAW Ratified After Contentious Vote

This past Friday, workers at G.M. ratified a labor agreement with the United Automobile Workers Union after a contentious five-day voting process. The agreement, which was only 1,073 pages long, set forth a new three-year contract for UAW-represented members of General Motors, which is the largest of the U.S. automakers. This labor union and G.M. have been in negotiations for months, attempting to break a longer term 2025 deal. The agreement was met with mixed reactions from those involved. The new deal raises wages and lump-sum bonuses, as well as providing additional job security. On the other hand, it does suspend an eight year old policy which granted more paid leave days and offered other extra protections. The ratification of the deal was a result of months’ worth of negotiation and voting with members of the UAW. After an initial vote of 49% against the agreement, the Executive Board of the UAW recommended a re-vote and further negotiations with G.M. After much debate, the G.M. workers were eventually able to come to a positive agreement, with the approval of the second vote coming in at 56% in favor. This contract has been heralded by both sides as a victory, with much of the credit being given to UAW President Gary Jones who helped guide the negotiations. While the agreement was not perfect it was appreciated by workers, as it raised wages and secured job security. This new agreement serves to show the importance of organized labor by representing workers of all backgrounds in the United States. G.M. and the UAW now have a piece of paper that ties them together and makes them both more productive partners. It serves to bring a lot of hope to workers who were facing uncertain futures, and will hopefully provide a template for other labor disputes to come. This past Friday, workers at G.M. ratified a labor agreement with the United Automobile Workers Union after a contentious five-day voting process. The agreement, which was only 1,073 pages long, set forth a new three-year contract for UAW-represented members of General Motors, which is the largest of the U.S. automakers. This labor union and G.M. have been in negotiations for months, attempting to break a longer term 2025 deal. The agreement was met with mixed reactions from those involved. The new deal raises wages and lump-sum bonuses, as well as providing additional job security. On the other hand, it does suspend an eight year old policy which granted more paid leave days and offered other extra protections. The ratification of the deal was a result of months’ worth of negotiation and voting with members of the UAW. After an initial vote of 49% against the agreement, the Executive Board of the UAW recommended a re-vote and further negotiations with G.M. After much debate, the G.M. workers were eventually able to come to a positive agreement, with the approval of the second vote coming in at 56% in favor. This contract has been heralded by both sides as a victory, with much of the credit being given to UAW President Gary Jones who helped guide the negotiations. While the agreement was not perfect it was appreciated by workers, as it raised wages and secured job security. This new agreement serves to show the importance of organized labor by representing workers of all backgrounds in the United States. G.M. and the UAW now have a piece of paper that ties them together and makes them both more productive partners. It serves to bring a lot of hope to workers who were facing uncertain futures, and will hopefully provide a template for other labor disputes to come.