WEST CHESTER, Ohio — After reaching recent tentative agreements with Ford and Stellantis, the United Auto Workers have reportedly reached a tentative agreement with General Motors, which would bring an end to the strike of the major three automakers.
The International UAW President announced an official end of the strike against the Big 3 automakers during a Facebook live Monday.
In West Chester, workers have been picketing outside the GM plant on Jacquemin Drive for six weeks — but when the tentative agreement was announced Monday morning, they all began to pack up.
UAW Local 674 President Janet Billingsley said workers are excited and ready to get back to work. She also said they were encouraged by how international UAW President Shawn Fain handled the strike.
"Just the fact that everybody got information, a lot of Facebook lives," said Billingsley. "Even the corporations were putting out information. We've never had this in the past, so it made people more aware. It made you want to be more involved, it made you stand out just a little bit longer knowing that hey, this president is getting ready to get some of the stuff that we deserve."
She said the support they received from the community was also encouraging.
"It definitely kept us out here one day longer," Billingsley said.
The tentative agreements aren't set in steel yet — the agreements still have to be ratified by UAW members.
UAW said the new agreement comes with a 25% pay raise over the course of a 4.5-year contract. Plus, five payments to current retirees of $500 each and the return of benefits like cost-of-living allowances and improved retirement.
GM released a statement Monday about the tentative agreement.
“GM is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the UAW that reflects the contributions of the team while enabling us to continue to invest in our future and provide
good jobs in the U.S.,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “We are looking forward to having everyone back to work across all of our operations, delivering great products for our customers, and winning as one team.”
At one point last week, more than 40,000 UAW joined the strike, which covered seven plants and 38 warehouses.
“Once again, we have achieved what just weeks ago we were told was impossible,” Fain said after the union reached an agreement with Stellantis. “At Stellantis in particular, we have not only secured a record contract, we have begun to turn the tide in the war on the American working class. Going into these negotiations, the company wanted to cut 5,000 jobs across Stellantis. Our Stand Up Strike changed that equation. Not only did we not lose those 5,000 jobs, we turned it all the way around. By the end of this agreement, Stellantis will be adding 5,000 jobs. We truly are saving the American dream.”
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