UAW and Big Three negotiations include challenging contract demands

Visiting scholar at the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University, John Russo, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing negotiations between the UAW and Big Three auto manufacturers and how they can learn from auto plants in the Youngstown, Ohio region to help with the negotiations.

In 1970, a very young workforce was hired in the Youngstown, Ohio region to work in the car industry, most were veterans of the Vietnam War. There were a lot of clashes between management and the employees early on before both sides lessened their demands. Unfortunately, over time, the industry began sending work overseas, and it led to the shuttering of the auto plant in Youngstown by the end of the 1980s. Russo spent many of his years covering these interactions in the Youngstown area, and believes they can use these plants as educational opportunities for the current negotiations.

The transition to EV is leading to the United Autoworkers to make several demands similar to the 1970s negotiations in Youngstown. Meanwhile, the Big Three employers are trying to eliminate a lot of the smaller demands and focus on the bigger topics. If the union refuses to eliminate some demands, and the Big Three employers don’t begin negotiating the major points, the UAW has threatened a strike. Russo believes that a stoppage at the plants will have a ripple effect throughout the auto industry and could risk the industry's future in America.

But the changes to the labor market following the pandemic have created several new issues that unions want to catch up in order to regain what was lost during those years. The reassessment of the work-life balance for workers is also creating a new wrinkle in negotiations. These issues, along with the increased number of retirees, are all creating a majority of the extra demands that are hindering negotiations for both the unions and employers. Russo talked about why these negotiations are facing a lot more scrutiny than in the past, and his thoughts on the possible strike, later this month.

To hear more from Russo, please play the show above.