Chrysler News: UAW Issues A Strike Notice to FCA

[William Maley]

The clock is ticking now as the UAW has issued a strike notice to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles that will end a previously agreed upon contract extension tomorrow at 11:59 PM EDT if a new deal for its 40,000 members isn't reached.

 

FCA issued a statement saying they have received the notice and are continuing discussions with the UAW to possibly alleviate this situation.

 

The Detroit Fress Press has learned from sources that negotiations between the two groups have broken down and that the UAW negotiators have left the bargaining table.

 

A number of union members have been wanting a strike since the two groups went into negotiations. How serious is the UAW with the strike. An unnamed UAW official says elected leaders are being asked to pick up picket signs and are meeting with plant officials on keeping machinery running for safety reasons.

 

What's unclear at this moment is the UAW's plan for the strike? Would it be national strike or would the Union target certain plants?

 

“They don’t have to go long if they do strike. A strike causes pain on both sides and applies pressure to get back to the table,” said Kristin Dziczek, director of the Labor & Industry Group at the Center for Automotive Research

 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

 

FCA US Statement Regarding UAW Strike Notification

 

FCA US confirms that it has received strike notification from the UAW. The Company continues to work with the UAW in a constructive manner to reach a new agreement.

 

The UAW Strike Notice is Below

 

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[G. David Felt]

So I have not been a union member or part of any union since the early 80's. How is this a strike notification when it does not state anything about being a strike notice?

[El Kabong]

Basically they said that they will no longer be bound by the terms of the extension. In theory, they are legally entitled to walk off the line at any time after the deadline. While I doubt that will happen immediately and/or en masse, they could.

[Suaviloquent]

I think one issue of contention has to be the movement of production to Mexico of certain models.

 

There's a very likely chance that if gas prices go up, that the suv/cuv craze will halt on its tracks. If the compact, and other lower margin products are assembled elsewhere, that only means loss of production and loss of jobs in America.

 

I think it's a zero-sum game. And I think UAW will probably go after Ford to if the deal isn't good enough for the planned movement of production away from (Wayne? Correct me if I'm wrong). And if the chicken tax does go away, then there's going to have to be huge incentives required to make a Ranger truck in the U.S. 

 

I do not like the shifting of production away from U.S. Even though the manufacturers would definitely increase profitability, I do not want to think about the negative externalities.

[El Kabong]

The UAW's primary concern should be the elimination of two-tier wages. Even more so than the product shuffling, this one gets to the core of the union's raison d'être.

[Suaviloquent]

The UAW's primary concern should be the elimination of two-tier wages. Even more so than the product shuffling, this one gets to the core of the union's raison d'être.

Absolutely. And Job security for contingencies such as volatile gas prices.