The Auto Workers Union and Stellantis, the parent company of major automobile manufacturers like Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot, have reached a tentative agreement to end a months-long nationwide strike.
The union, which represents some 48,000 workers in the United States and Canada, said in a statement on Wednesday that details of the agreement have not yet been finalized and are subject to a membership ratification vote.
The indefinite strike that began in September was the largest since 2007, and impacts a variety of operations throughout the two countries. It has resulted in production losses estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars for both sides, as the union fought to preserve income gains and other benefits that had been achieved through previous bargaining agreements.
The tentative agreement is a welcome breather for both sides, and a ray of hope for a resolution to the long-running labor dispute.
“We’ve worked hard to secure this agreement, which will provide our members with significant wage increases, increased benefits, and job security language that meets our needs,” said Terry Dittes, the union’s vice president and director of the UAW’s Chrysler Department.
The details of the deal are not yet available but are expected to be released sometime in the coming days. According to the union, the proposed agreement contains language that would address a wide range of worker protections including “reduce temporary employees, job security language, wage increases, lump sum payments, and a signing bonus for all members.”
The agreement would also provide additional investments to modernize the UAW’s training centers and to fund a national upskilling and retraining program.
The ratification vote is expected to take place in the next few weeks as the two sides reach the final stage of the negotiation process.
