UAW workers at two more GM plants back contract

Regardless of the final tally of votes, the UAW’s resort to lies, intimidation and other underhanded methods to ram through its contracts following the rebellion by Fiat Chrysler workers last month has only further discredited this pro-company outfit.

The union has been pushing for ratification following the tentative contract’s defeat at several GM plants in early voting.

Ray Wood, president of UAW Local 14, which represents 1,800 union workers at the plant on Alexis Road, said production workers ratified the pact 51 percent to 49 percent and skilled trades workers voted against it by 59 to 41 percent in voting that began Sunday and ended late Monday night.

UAW Local 1853 Chairman Mike Herron embraced workers as they came to hear details of the tentative agreement, many with tears of joy in the eyes. “The agreement, if ratified, will help lead the Ford Motor Co., our employees and our communities into the future”. Over in Lordstown, Local 1714 (Stamping, Complex West) found healthy majorities in favor of the contract – 67.9 percent production, 57.4 percent skilled trades – while Local 1112 saw 72 percent of production and 29 percent of skilled trades workers voting the same. That plant that makes the Chevrolet Traverse and other SUVs. The contract passed by an 1,100-vote margin. Wayne, Ind., truck plant voted for it with a 58% majority as more than half of the union workers have voted.

Veteran workers get two raises of 3 percent and two lump-sum payments during the proposed contract’s four-year term.

The contract approved by Fiat Chrysler workers established a pattern of pay increases for hourly workers, starting at $17 an hour and progressing to almost $30 an hour over eight years.

Ford will also offer $70,000 per worker in retirement incentives to a few eligible workers, the sources said.

Workers at the Delta Township plant and two locals at a huge factory in Lordstown, Ohio, east of Cleveland voted for of the deal.

Voting had been fairly close earlier in the week. The current proposal would cover 52,700 factory workers and avoid a strike that could cost the automaker $243 million per work day, according to WSJ.

The UAW has worked closely with the German union IG Metall and taken advantage of that union’s strength within VW to open the door to organize the Chattanooga plant. Workers at GM’s Defiance Castings Operations were to vote this week. There is widespread opposition to the contract from the 3,400 workers at the GMCH plants, formerly run by GM’s spin-off parts division Delphi.

UAW President Dennis Williams had promised – and won – richer benefits from GM, which is a bigger and wealthier company than FCA.

There are also annual lump sum performance and quality bonuses, and a $60,000 bonus for up to 4,000 eligible production employees who retire between February 1 and May 1, 2016.