Let’s Get Ready to Rumble

16 July 2015 Dashboard Insights Blog

The summer of 2015 should be very interesting for the Big 3 and suppliers alike. The collective bargaining agreements for the Big 3 will expire on September 14, 2015.  Initial negotiations with the UAW are scheduled to commence this month. Ford has already indicated that it would like to take the lead in the negotiations with the UAW and Ford’s recent announcement of the end of certain production at the Michigan Assembly Plant is likely one of many moves to come to gain an advantage in the negotiations.

For the first time since 2007, workers at GM and Chrysler have the right to strike. With the recent increase in union dues, the UAW will have a larger strike fund to draw from if a strike becomes necessary. However, UAW President Dennis Williams has already stated that striking is a failure on both parties’ part and the UAW does not plan on failing.

During the negotiations, the UAW will likely push back on the two-tier wage system or at least seek to decrease the wage gap between the two tiers. Reducing the use of temporary workers will also likely be a hot topic for the UAW. Additionally, the impact of Michigan’s Right to Work law on the negotiations will be worth watching.

Stay tuned to Dashboard Insights for further developments regarding the status of the negotiations.

This blog is made available by Foley & Lardner LLP (“Foley” or “the Firm”) for informational purposes only. It is not meant to convey the Firm’s legal position on behalf of any client, nor is it intended to convey specific legal advice. Any opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Foley & Lardner LLP, its partners, or its clients. Accordingly, do not act upon this information without seeking counsel from a licensed attorney. This blog is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Communicating with Foley through this website by email, blog post, or otherwise, does not create an attorney-client relationship for any legal matter. Therefore, any communication or material you transmit to Foley through this blog, whether by email, blog post or any other manner, will not be treated as confidential or proprietary. The information on this blog is published “AS IS” and is not guaranteed to be complete, accurate, and or up-to-date. Foley makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation or content of the site. Foley expressly disclaims all other guarantees, warranties, conditions and representations of any kind, either express or implied, whether arising under any statute, law, commercial use or otherwise, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement. In no event shall Foley or any of its partners, officers, employees, agents or affiliates be liable, directly or indirectly, under any theory of law (contract, tort, negligence or otherwise), to you or anyone else, for any claims, losses or damages, direct, indirect special, incidental, punitive or consequential, resulting from or occasioned by the creation, use of or reliance on this site (including information and other content) or any third party websites or the information, resources or material accessed through any such websites. In some jurisdictions, the contents of this blog may be considered Attorney Advertising. If applicable, please note that prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Photographs are for dramatization purposes only and may include models. Likenesses do not necessarily imply current client, partnership or employee status.

Related Services