DETROIT, Mich. — Shawn Fain, president of the UAW, provided an update Friday afternoon on the status of negotiations with Ford, GM, and Stellantis.
Friday marked the 22nd day of strikes.
“I was ready to call on one of GM’s biggest and most important plants to stand up, and it was that threat that brought GM to the table,” Fain said in his video broadcast just after 2 p.m. Friday afternoon.
"We have had a major breakthrough that has not only dramatically changed negotiations, but it's going to change the future of our union and the future of our industry.”
Fain explained that, at some point on Friday, GM had agreed in writing to place their electric battery manufacturing under the UAW's master agreement.
“I wish I were here to announce a tentative agreement at one or more of these companies, but I do want to be really clear, we are making significant progress,” Fain added.
Because of this apparent progress, no additional workers were called to strike during Friday's update.
“What has moved the needle is our willingness to take action, to be flexible, to be aggressive when we have to and to be strategic,” he said.
There are about 25,000 UAW members on strike currently— representing nearly 17% of the union's 146,000 members.
In terms of other progress from the UAW's perspective, Fain said both Ford and Stellantis have agreed to reinstate a cost of living allowance.
He also claimed that they are making progress in regards to raising pay rates for temp workers.
Ford reportedly has offered members a 23% increase in wages, up from an initial offer of 9%.
GM and Stellantis reportedly are offering 20% increases, as of Friday afternoon.
While no additional workers will be walking off the job Friday, Fain says it's still a possibility the UAW will call upon more facilities to strike.
“We've been very careful about how we escalate the strike, and we have designed this strategy to increase pressure on the companies," Fain said in his update. "Not to hurt them for its own sake, but to move them.”
