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UAW workers on edge as contract deadline closes in
The UAW and Big 3 have until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14 to reach an agreement. Some workers are on edge as that deadline and the threat of a strike near.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - With the deadline to reach a deal now just a day away, Ford says the company has given the United Auto Workers its "most generous offer in 80 years."
Ford CEO Jim Farley discussed the proposal Tuesday outside an event unveiling the new F-150 ahead of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
"Pay increases, elimination of tiers, inflation protection, five weeks of vacation, 17 paid holidays, bigger contributions for retirement," he said.
Strike pay and benefits for UAW members if no deal is reached
This Thursday, the UAW collective bargaining agreement will end, meaning a strike is likely for the roughly 146,000 employees of Detroit's Big Three. Union members will get some pay while on strike and are eligible for some benefits while on strike – but here's a breakdown of how that all pays out.
Though this offer includes pay increases and inflation protection, Farley did not go into specifics about those numbers. Other automakers have also offered inflation protection in the form of lump sum payouts. In a previous offer rejected by the UAW, the automaker offered protection from inflation for wages.
Farley called the new deal a "significant enhancement."
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UAW negotiations have Big 3 front line workers, suppliers on edge with deadline looming
UAW President Shawn Fain has broken with the decades-long tradition of focusing in on one target automaker to bargain with ahead of a new deal, and car industry analysts are studying it all.
"(We're) still optimistic that we'll get a deal, but there is a limit," he said.
The union is asking for a 46% pay raise, a 32-hour work week with 40 hours of pay, the tier system removed, and restoration of traditional pensions for new hires, among other demands. See what they want here.
All proposals from Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis have been rejected by the UAW for being insufficient.
What does the UAW want from Detroit's Big Three in the 2023 negotiations?
The UAW could strike at midnight on Friday, Sept. 15 if a deal isn't reached with Detroit's Big Three automakers - Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors.
Ford's offer that was rejected earlier this month included a 15% guaranteed combined increase in wages and better benefits over the life of the contract. Also, wages along with overtime and bonuses, would jump from under $80,000 last year to $92,000 in the first year of the deal.
"Ford’s wage proposals not only fail to meet our needs, it insults our very worth," UAW President Shawn Fain said of that rejected proposal.
The union has not responded to Ford's newest offer.
Automakers and the UAW have until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14 to reach a deal or workers will go on strike.
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