Vote on tentative contract with General Motors too close to call as more tallies are reported

The outcome of the vote on the tentative contract agreement between General Motors and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which brought an end to a six-week strike against the company, remains uncertain as more tallies have been reported. While the UAW has not yet posted the final vote totals, initial results from several GM factories indicate a mixed response.

In recent days, workers at several major factories have rejected the proposed four-year and eight-month deal by significant margins. However, a noteworthy exception is the factory in Arlington, Texas, where over 60% of the approximately 5,000 workers voted in favor of the agreement, as revealed in the latest tallies.

As of Wednesday, the UAW’s vote tracker indicates that the deal is ahead by 958 votes. It’s important to note that these totals do not include votes from GM assembly plants in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Lansing Delta Township, Michigan; and a powertrain plant in Toledo, Ohio, all of which reportedly voted against the agreement, according to local union officials. The majority of the vote tallies have fallen within the range of 55% to around 60% against the contract.

The Arlington factory’s vote, with 63% in favor, represents a tighter margin, with 60.4% of production workers approving the deal and nearly 65% of skilled trades workers voting in favor.

Both the union and General Motors have refrained from commenting on the situation while the voting process is ongoing. It remains unclear what the next steps will be, but local union officials do not anticipate an immediate strike if the contract is voted down.

Voting is also taking place at Ford, where the agreement is passing with 66.1% of votes in favor, with only a few large factories yet to report their results. Additionally, the contract appears to be gaining widespread support at Jeep maker Stellantis, with 79.7% in favor, although some smaller facilities have yet to vote, and final tallies are expected to be announced later this week.

The situation highlights the diverse interests and concerns of workers, with full-time temporary hires appreciating the significant raises they would receive under the proposed contract, while long-time employees may find the immediate 11% pay raises insufficient compensation for concessions made to the company in 2008 during the Great Recession.

The contract aims to address lower tiers of wages for newer hires and reduce the time required to reach top pay levels. While some newer hires prefer defined benefit pension plans over 401(k) retirement plans, the company has agreed to contribute 10% annually to the 401(k) plans.

In summary, the fate of the contract between GM and the UAW remains uncertain, with varying responses from different factories and workers with diverse expectations and demands. The outcome will have significant implications for both the automotive industry and the labor force.

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More about GM-UAW Contract Vote

• General Motors
• United Auto Workers (UAW)
• GM Strike – Reuters Coverage
• Automotive Industry – World Economic Forum Analysis
• Labor Strikes – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data