To Avoid Strike, Biden Urges UAW And Big Three Automakers to Negotiate

One month before a crucial deadline for labor talks, President Joe Biden attempted to increase the amount of pressure that was placed on the United Auto Workers union as well as the nation’s three unionized automakers, also known as the “Big Three.” These automakers are Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.

“As the United Auto Workers and the Big Three auto companies come together to negotiate a new agreement one month before the expiration of their current contract, I want to make it clear where I stand. In a new statement that he released on Monday, Vice President Joe Biden said, “I’m asking all sides to work together to forge a fair agreement.”

The White House has been keeping a close eye on the talks even though the two parties appear to be very far apart. The union is demanding that past concessions made by the union be revoked in addition to significant pay raises for members of at least forty percent or more to match increases in the pay of CEOs at the companies over the past four years.

The White House and the union may find themselves at odds during the negotiations. Although the AFL-CIO, which is comprised of several different independent unions, has already endorsed Joe Biden for reelection and called him the “most pro-union president in our lifetimes,” the United Automobile Workers (UAW) has not yet joined in on that endorsement. A strike could have significant repercussions not only for the economy but also for politics. Last month, while UAW leadership was at the White House briefing senior staff on their positions, Vice President Biden and UAW President Shawn Fain had a brief meeting in the West Wing of the White House.

On September 14, all three of the contracts that the United Auto Workers have with General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, which sells cars and trucks under the Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler brands, are set to run out. Fain publicly rejected the most recent offer that Stellantis had made the previous week by tossing a copy of the offer into the garbage while he was speaking to members in a video. According to what the union stated on Monday, plans for strike authorization votes at all three companies are expected to be announced shortly.

As is customary, the UAW will choose one of the three companies to go first and will ask that the other two be put on hold while it focuses its efforts on reaching an agreement. Once an agreement has been reached, the UAW will then request something similar from the other two automakers as part of a “pattern.”

At the table for negotiations, the United Auto Workers (UAW) is advocating for an aggressive set of demands, and it has been critical of the Biden administration’s financial support for the transition to electric vehicles. The UAW contends that the Biden administration has been overly supportive of automakers’ plans for EV battery plants, which are expected to pay far less than union wages. Fain has issued a public warning that the UAW is prepared to strike, saying that nearly 150,000 members will strike if the three automakers do not meet their demands. Fain’s warning comes after the UAW has been in negotiations with the automakers for several months.

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NEWS SOURCES has previously reported that while Vice President Joe Biden enjoys hefty support from the leadership of many unions, he has also faced lingering mistrust and concern among some of the rank-and-file of the United Auto Workers (UAW), according to people familiar with the dynamics of the situation. This perception was fueled in part by the president’s intervention to avert a freight rail strike in December.

Biden used the language of the United Automobile Workers Union regarding a “fair transition” to clean energy as a nod to the demands of the union.

I support a fair clean energy transition. That means ensuring that the Big Three automakers offer good jobs that can support a family, honoring the right to organize, avoiding painful plant closings, and fair transitions that retool, reboot, and rehire in the same factories and communities at comparable wages, giving existing workers the first shot. Vice President Joe B.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) stated that it viewed the statement made by the White House as an endorsement of the position that it is negotiating.

The three automakers have all stated that they wish to reach agreements that would prevent a strike from happening.

Ford has stated that it employs a greater number of UAW members and produces a greater quantity of automobiles and trucks in the United States than any other automaker.

In a recent statement, the company expressed its anticipation of collaborating with the UAW (United Automobile Workers) to devise innovative solutions. This comes at a crucial juncture, as the industry undergoes significant transformations and requires a highly skilled and competitive workforce.

In a recent statement, Stellantis, the multinational automotive company, expressed its unwavering commitment to engaging in constructive and collaborative discussions with the United Auto Workers (UAW). The company aims to negotiate a fresh agreement that effectively addresses the concerns of its 43,000 employees while aligning with its long-term vision. Stellantis emphasized its dedication to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with the UAW, highlighting the importance of finding a balanced resolution that takes into account the interests of both parties.

By prioritizing open dialogue and cooperation, the company aims to reach an agreement that not only safeguards the welfare of its workforce but also aligns with its strategic objectives for the future. As negotiations continue, Stellantis remains focused on maintaining a positive and productive atmosphere, fostering an environment conducive to reaching a mutually agreeable outcome. The company’s commitment to its employees and its vision for the future underscores its determination to find common ground and ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all stakeholders involved.

General Motors (GM) has released an official statement expressing its commitment to engaging in sincere negotiations with the United Auto Workers (UAW). The company aims to sustain its progress and ensure that everyone has equal opportunities in the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Concerns have been raised by the union regarding the intentions of all three automakers to transition away from conventional gasoline-powered vehicles and toward electric vehicles in the coming decades. Because an internal combustion engine and the gearbox that goes along with it have so many moving parts, it is estimated that it takes one-third fewer hours of work to assemble an electric vehicle (EV) than it does to assemble a car with an internal combustion engine.

The transition to electric vehicles has been actively supported by the Biden administration, which has made available tax credits for people who purchase EVs and loans to build plants that are necessary for EVs, such as plants that make batteries.

There are approximately a dozen electric vehicle battery plants that are currently in the process of construction across the country. Because the majority of those plants are partnerships between automobile manufacturers and battery manufacturers, it is unlikely that they will be included in the UAW’s contracts with the Big Three. Workers at the lone battery plant for one of the Big Three to open so far, a plant in Warren, Ohio for the joint venture between GM and LG, voted 98% in favor of joining the UAW. This plant is the only one of the Big Three to open its doors so far. Workers at the plant are paid approximately half of what UAW members are paid at the Big Three because the union has not been able to come to an agreement with management on a contract for the plant yet.