PARMA, Ohio — Picket lines for automaker unions across Northeast Ohio are now packed up after General Motors reached an agreement with the United Auto Workers Monday.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
President of UAW Local 1005, Dan Schwartz, said this means 270 employees at the GM Metal Stamping plant in Parma will be returning to work.
“It's been a little bit stressful, although, I can't say how proud I am of them [union members],” said Dan Schwartz. “I can't say it enough. They just dug in and were willing to do whatever they had to do to get what we deserve.”
The UAW said the deal will last until 2028, giving GM employees a 25% pay increase. GM has also agreed to make five payments of $500 to current retirees and surviving spouses. This deal is similar to, but different than, agreements Ford and Stellantis reached over the weekend.
“We have been left behind, and I know if we get what we deserve, we should be paid back for what we gave up in ‘08 and ‘09 when General Motors was failing.”
We first showed you Stripmatic Products a month ago. News 5 followed through with them Monday and the Cuyahoga Heights company is grateful the strike is over. That's because Stripmatic makes parts that go into all the big three automaker vehicles.
“We have done a great job reshoring parts from Asia, and we want to keep that going,” said Bill Adler, President and CEO of Stripmatic Products.
Adler said an agreement helped him avoid layoffs, and he hopes his disrupted supply chain caused by the strike is soon fixed as well.
“We recently just got orders that were put on pause, so we are hoping here soon that we are able to ship those and get back on our normal weekly shipments to all the different end companies,” Adler added.
GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra said the agreement reflects the contributions of the team while also allowing the company to invest in its future. Meanwhile, the UAW said GM workers will return to work while the agreement is finalized.
Schwartz thinks the strike has opened the eyes of Americans in non-unions, saving the American Dream.
“People are starting to pay attention, and that's a good thing because people have been left behind for a long time by corporate greed, and it's our time to get what we deserve,” said Schwartz.
