The United Auto Workers union recently announced that they had reached a positive new contract agreement for 7,300 Daimler Truck North America workers. The deal came just before a potential strike was set to begin at midnight following the expiration of the previous contract.
The majority of these workers are based in North Carolina, where Daimler produces Freightliner and Western Star trucks as well as Thomas Built buses. The unionization of Daimler Truck workers by the UAW began in the 1990s.
Similar to autoworkers from major companies who went on strike last year, Daimler workers had been pushing for substantial wage increases, echoing the sentiments of the previous strike.
The new contract includes raises of at least 25% over four years, in addition to cost of living adjustments and profit sharing, marking a significant win for the workers. The agreement still needs to be ratified by the union members.
This development comes on the heels of the UAW’s recent success in organizing a union vote at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. The union is now focusing on organizing efforts in the South, with upcoming elections at other auto plants.
Vocabulary List:
- Contract Agreement (noun): A formal arrangement between two or more parties regarding specific terms and conditions.
- Unionization (noun): The process of forming or joining a labor union in the workplace.
- Wage Increases (noun): The rise in pay or compensation for employees.
- Ratified (verb): Formally approved or confirmedespecially through a vote.
- Organizing Efforts (phrase): Activities undertaken to establish or strengthen an organized group or system.
- Profit Sharing (noun): A system where employees receive a share in the profits of a company.
