Photo: thetruthaboutcars.com
Thing have taken a sudden and somewhat strange turn in the hurried talks between the United Auto Workers union an the Big Three, an agreement between which should be reached by September 14th, when the current contract expires.
We’ve grown accustomed to the fact that workers demand that automakers share more of their profits with them, since they’ve tightened their belts for so long, and that two-tier workers are understandably upset with their current wages. Yet there’s a new demand that could make or brake the discussions.
According to Bloomberg new, UAW is seeking a massive signing bonus of between $8,000 and $10,000 for signing a new contract. The good news is that this is triple the $3,000 they receive in 2007 with the old contract, the bad news being that no pay increases are on the table.
“A signing bonus in this range would get some attention and is meant to serve as a down-payment on something negotiators want workers to view positively,” said Harley Shaiken, a labor professor at the University of California at Berkeley. “It’s serves as a statement that says, ‘The gains this contract offers are real.’ There’s nothing as real as a check up front.”
According to Bloomberg new, UAW is seeking a massive signing bonus of between $8,000 and $10,000 for signing a new contract. The good news is that this is triple the $3,000 they receive in 2007 with the old contract, the bad news being that no pay increases are on the table.
“A signing bonus in this range would get some attention and is meant to serve as a down-payment on something negotiators want workers to view positively,” said Harley Shaiken, a labor professor at the University of California at Berkeley. “It’s serves as a statement that says, ‘The gains this contract offers are real.’ There’s nothing as real as a check up front.”
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