Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Auto workers have expanded their strike against major carmakers, walking out of 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts distribution centers.
Ford Motor Company was spared, signaling that they could be working toward an agreement.
"Absolutely," said labor expert Art Wheaton with Cornell in Buffalo. "They just ratified Unifor, which is the Canadian auto workers agreement. That's very good news for Western New York because Unifor covers the plant where most of the Woodlawn Stamping Plant's parts go to. So this is great news for us," he added.
Ford has led the way in negotiations with auto workers. Ford has not had a national UAW strike since 1976.
The new Canadian auto workers agreement, ratified Sunday, raises base hourly pay for production workers by almost 20% over three years. It also gives workers a $10,000 bonus and adds a cost-of-living adjustment.
In addition, Wheaton said Ford has agreed to eliminate tiered workers, to have fewer temporary and part-time workers.
"Ford is paving the way for a good contract," he said. "It is not progressing anywhere near as well at General Motors or Stellantis, formerly Chrysler."
Could a deal at Ford put pressure on the other two? "Yes," he said. "My guess is that once Ford sets the target, General Motors will eventually follow pretty closely. However, I am less confident that Stellantis will follow the pattern because Stellantis has much less investment in the United States."
Is it likely that three different contracts will come out of this?
"You always get some minor differences. The pay rates are going to be similar. But they are not carbon copies," noted Wheaton.
Ramifications of the strike include layoffs of non striking employees due to a shortage of parts from striking plants.
"It depends on the state that you're in, as to whether the workers would receive unemployment or not. If the contract had been extended, they would all receive unemployment. But because the UAW has chosen this new strategy, all of the contracts are expired. They are not covered under the same unemployment agreement."
Wheaton said it is his understanding, in New York State, that laid off workers would still receive unemployment.
The UAW strike against the Big Three auto makers entered it's 11th day on Monday.