UAW Ratifies GM Contract Over Skilled Trades Oppositon

As expected, the International Executive Board of the United Auto Workers ratified its contract with General Motors on Friday, despite the objection of the union’s skilled trades members.

The UAW has ratified a new four-year labor agreement with General Motors, ending two weeks of deliberations amid opposition to the deal from skilled-trades workers.

The union’s 14-member International Executive Board decided to approve the contract after a meeting Friday with officials from local UAW chapters across the country.

The move comes after UAW President Dennis Williams delayed formal ratification for more than a week, after union critics were vocal in challenging the contract.
“The UAW released a vague statement on Friday declaring that it had held ‘discussions with GM’ and that ‘the parties agreed to changes that protect core trades classifications and seniority rights,’” noted a reporter with WSWS.org. “After concluding that the skilled trades membership concerns had been met, ‘the IEB [International Executive Board] took action to formally ratify the UAW-GM National Agreement.’”
Since the UAW leadership declared the contract ratified, UAW members will not have an opportunity to look at, nor vote, on any of the changes the UAW says it made to the new contract.
Related:

• What A Mess: New UAW-GM Contract Put On Ice (For Now)
• Despite Skilled Trades’ Rejection, UAW Boss Pushes To Seal GM Deal

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