Detroit’s Big Three and UAW members reach an agreement

UAW President Shawn Fain hailed victory after a six-week strike. Union members from General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (Big Three) sanctioned a new contract.

During a six-week strike in September and October, union members at Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors ratified a new four-and-a half-year contract that locks in 11% pay increases.

The agreement, which runs until April 30, 2028, was approved by almost 67% of the Ford workers that the United Auto Workers represents. Although the voting period formally closes on Friday, the deal looked like it would be easily ratified given that Ford employs over 57,000 union workers. After the UAW went on strike from September 15 to late October, the contracts were negotiated.

Over the term of the agreement, union members will receive a 25% salary increase overall. In addition, the new contracts preserve workers' right to strike over plant closures, allow them to attain maximum salaries in three years rather than eight, and restore cost-of-living adjustments.

Based on those salary increases, the UAW and the automakers referred to the agreements as "record" contracts. The union added that in order to keep the automakers afloat during the Great Recession, members were getting back some of the benefits they had previously committed to giving up. Although GM employees supported the contract by a far smaller margin than Ford employees — roughly 55% of workers cast yes votes — than Ford employees did.

Although the contracts have been hailed as a victory for workers by UAW President Shawn Fain, he has also stated that they are only a small portion of a larger strategy to recoup more benefits in the long run.