In a last-minute agreement, the United Auto Workers (UAW) reached a historic deal with Daimler Truck North America, averting a strike by more than 7,000 workers in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Union President Shawn Fain announced the agreement just 65 minutes before the contract was set to expire, revealing raises of over 25%, the elimination of wage tiers, and the inclusion of profit-sharing and cost-of-living raises for the first time since the workers first organized with the UAW. Members eagerly awaited updates from Fain on Facebook, with some sensing the delay was due to ongoing negotiations.
Fain confirmed these suspicions by revealing that the company had tried to delay negotiations but finally came to the table as the deadline approached. The details of the tentative agreement include profit-sharing, significant raises for the lowest-paid workers at Thomas Built Bus, raises for skilled trade workers, increased job security, guaranteed build rates, and health and safety improvements. The agreement must be ratified by union members, who gave Fain the authority to call a strike if necessary in a vote held on March 8.
Daimler Truck North America and the UAW have tentatively agreed on new collective bargaining agreements covering approximately 7,400 employees at various facilities. The union members at these locations will now vote on the new contracts to finalize them for the mutual benefit of all parties. This victory for the UAW marks their second significant win in the South in a week, with non-union workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga voting to join the union just days earlier. The union has also filed four unfair labor practice charges against Daimler Truck North America with the National Labor Relations Board.
Fain’s goal is to organize non-union auto workers at both foreign and domestic automakers, with workers at two Mercedes-Benz plants in Alabama set to vote on joining the union in May. Despite the charges filed against Daimler Truck North America, Fain did not address them during his remarks on Friday night. The UAW plans to celebrate the tentative agreement with a victory rally on Saturday at the UAW Local 3520 in Statesville, North Carolina. With this successful negotiation, the UAW secures better wages, job security, and benefits for its members at Daimler Truck North America, showcasing the continued strength and influence of the union in the automotive industry.
