Director of government affairs with the AFL-CIO, Bill Samuel, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the new UAW and Ford tentative agreement. Samuel also discussed the appointment of a new Speaker of the House and some of his initial concerns.
The United Auto Workers and Ford Motor Company have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. Complete details haven’t been released to the public yet, and members still need to ratify the agreement before it goes into effect. If the agreement is ratified by members, this new contract will be used as the standard for the contracts with General Motors and Chrysler.
Meanwhile, the House Republicans have appointed a new Speaker of the House, as they named Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.). He fits the build for what the far-right Republicans have been wanting to take over the role of the Speaker of the House, Samuel said. He’s overall a good reflection of the Republican party’s philosophies. There are considerable concerns that this appointment will harm the positive momentum the labor movement has made in 2023, Samuel said.
In his introductory speech, Speaker Johnson spoke about his desire to create a deficit committee. Along with the committee, Johnson mentioned cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid funding. This is a significant change for House Republicans, as they hadn’t admitted to actively seeking cuts in these programs, Samuel said. He also said Johnson’s voting record shows he did not vote for infrastructure or spending bills since joining the House.
To hear more from Bill Samuel, please listen to the show above.