DETROIT (WWJ) - The United Auto Workers union and Stellantis have reportedly agreed to terms of a tentative deal on Saturday, roughly a month and a half after workers began walking off the job at Big Three plants in a targeted strike.
WWJ auto beat reporter Jeff Gilbert said while the agreement has yet to be officially announced, it does appear an agreement has been made to end the labor strike against that carmaker.
"We do understand that it does pattern the agreement that was reached at Ford earlier this week," Gilbert said. "And in another detail that was just specific to Stellantis, it does appear that it will keep the Belvidere, Illinois plant open -- that was an important issue with the UAW and their negotiations with Stellantis."
The Belvidere Assembly Plant has sat idled since February of 2023 after last assembling the Jeep Cherokee. Gilbert said it isn't currently known what product the automobile production facility will make.
Gilbert added that, pending ratification, UAW works will be sent back to work in an unusual move that mirrors the agreement made with Ford earlier this week.
"This will obviously put a little bit more pressure on General Motors who at this particular point appears to be the only company without a tentative deal," Gilbert said.
But talks with GM are beginning to ramp up.
Gilbert reported earlier in the week that UAW President Shawn Fain was spearheading intense talks on Thursday and Friday with Stellantis, but increased attention was also geared toward General Motors.
Talks between the UAW and GM were expected to continue on Saturday, Oct. 28 in hopes of ending the labor strike across the board.
The agreement with Ford and Stellantis brings the end of six weeks of historic labor strikes by the union after the Big Three and the UAW failed to come to terms on new contracts for roughly 146,000 UAW members before a Sept. 14 deadline.
On Wednesday, Oct. 25, the UAW called 16,000 striking Ford workers back to their jobs after a tentative deal with the automaker was reached.
"For months we said that record profits mean record contracts, and UAW family, our Stand Up Strike has delivered," Fain said in a recorded video announcing the agreement with Ford.
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.
After Saturday's latest development, the heat is now on General Motors.
"It appears at this point, we now have two tentative deals -- Ford and Stellantis -- with one more to go," Gilbert said.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest details as they become available. >>> LISTEN LIVE!