DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – With less than five days until the United Auto Workers may strike against the Big Three Detroit Automakers, the two groups have still not settled on a final contract arrangement. 

A letter shared with union members on Monday from the UAW’s Secretary Treasurer, Margaret Mock, informed them of a new electronic strike sign-up process. 

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“In preparation of a potential strike, we would like to inform our UAW members of the necessary items and information you will need to bring to sign up for our new electronic strike process,” Mock wrote, “It is necessary that you have an established email account (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) prior to the sign-up process. This email is essential in registering for strike benefits.” 

The letter went on to explain the items needed to receive strike assistance benefits. The full version can be found here. 

General Motors submitted a new proposal that UAW President Shawn Fain did not accept. 

“After refusing to bargain in good faith for the past six weeks, only after having federal labor board charges filed against them, GM has come to the table with an insulting proposal that doesn’t come close to an equitable agreement for America’s autoworkers,” UAW President Fain said. 

A day later, the UAW also responded to the latest Stellantis proposal, which strongly differed from the auto company’s wage increase proposition, advocating for 40% wage increases to match CEO wage increase over the past four years.  

UAW officials say a 14.5% General Wage Increase over four years that doesn’t make up for inflation, let alone make up for past losses, and leaves workers even further behind. 

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The UAW is making numerous demands to be included in their newest contracts including: a shorter work week and heightened wages in the double digits, among other demands ahead of the Sept. 14 contract deadline. 

“The union’s demands include the elimination of tiered wages and benefits, wage increases to offset inflation and match the generous salary increases of company executives over the last four years, the re-establishment of cost-of-living allowances and defined benefit pensions and retiree healthcare, the right to strike over plant closures, significant increases to current retiree benefits, and more paid time off to be with family,” according to UAW officials. 

At the beginning of the month, the UAW filed unfair labor charges against Stellantis and GM,  prompting hurried responses including from Stellantis spokesperson Jodi Tinson who shared the company “is  shocked by Mr. Fain’s claims that we have not bargained in good faith. … This is a claim with no basis in fact, and we are disappointed to learn that Mr. Fain is more focused on filing frivolous legal charges than on actual bargaining. We will vigorously defend this charge when the time comes, but right now we are more focused on continuing to bargain in good faith for a new agreement. We will not allow Mr. Fain’s tactics to distract us from that important work to secure the future for our employees.”

GM’s Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Gerald Johnson, also added that the automaker was “”surprised by and strongly refutes the NLRB charge filed by the International UAW. We believe it has no merit and is an insult to the bargaining committees. We have been hyper-focused on negotiating directly and in good faith with the UAW and are making progress. The pace of negotiations is based on how quickly both parties resolve nearly 1,000 UAW demands, including more than 90 presented this week. Our goal remains the same — to achieve an agreement without a disruption that rewards our team members and protects the future of the entire GM team.”

Ahead of Labor Day, President Joe Biden shared his belief that a strike would not happen. 

“No, I’m not worried about a strike until it happens,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

UAW President Fain responded to the President’s remarks, sharing his shock and the union’s intent. 

“He must know something we don’t know. Maybe the companies plan on walking in and giving us our demands on the night before, I don’t know, but he’s on the inside on something I don’t know about,” Fain said. “Our intent is not to strike. Our intent is to get a fair agreement. That’s been our intent from Day One.”