(WWJ) – The UAW has reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Co. to end the strike against the automaker nearly six weeks after it began, UAW President Shawn Fain announced in a video posted to social media Wednesday night.
"For months we said that record profits mean record contracts, and UAW family, our Stand Up Strike has delivered," Fain said in the recorded video.
WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert reported earlier Wednesday that the union and automaker were "honing in on about a 25% raise." Union Vice President Chuck Browning confirmed Wednesday night the tentative agreement would indeed see a 25% raise over the life of the contract.
"This deal puts more money on the table than the 2019 agreement four times over. So when we say 'historic,' we mean it," Browning said.
With cost of living adjustments, Browning says the top wage increase will rise by about 33% to above $40 per hour. The starting wage rate will rise by 68%, according to Browning.
It is not yet clear exactly when striking at Ford plants across the country may return to the job. Gilbert said the belief is the UAW is "not tied to the traditional 'we wait until ratification schedule,'" but that remains a possibility.
In Wednesday's video, Fain said the UAW National Ford Council will visit Detroit on Sunday and vote on whether to send the tentative agreement to members.
If the council approves the agreement, Fain will go on Facebook Live to review the details of the deal with members. He said UAW officials are working to have "highlighters" and change pages ready by Sunday.
Following that process, regional meetings will be held to walk through the agreement, then locals will hold informational meetings with members before holding ratification votes.
It was not clear Wednesday night how close the union may be on tentative deals with Stellantis and General Motors.
"Hard to tell what kind of progress has been made at the other two carmakers, but at least if all this holds and we've got one down, two to go, that's a lot of progress," Gilbert said live on WWJ Wednesday evening.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest details as they become available. >>> LISTEN LIVE!