UAW files worker complaint over GM letter to Lear regarding Missouri strike
Transparency is the key to the further development of the UAW
UAW President Shawn Fain discusses how the union is adapting and becoming more transparent in its communications with members and the media.
General Motors told Lear Corp. on Tuesday that Lear was violating its contract with GM by failing to supply the seats needed to keep GM’s assembly line running at its Wentzville Assembly plant in Missouri, where GM makes its profitable midsize pickups and vans, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The notice came in the form of a letter after GM was forced to shut down the plant on Monday because about 500 workers at the nearby Lear Wentzville plant went on strike at midnight Sunday, at which point their contract was set to expire without a new tentative agreement being reached with the company. The Lear plant supplies the seats for GM vehicles made at the Wentzville Assembly plant, which remained shut down again on Tuesday.
The contract breach has now become a source of bargaining problems for Lear, prompting the UAW to file an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday. The person familiar with the letter requested anonymity because the ongoing negotiations are so sensitive.
“A scaremongering”
In a memo to UAW Local 282 members obtained by the Detroit Free Press late Tuesday, UAW Local 282 chief negotiator Ken Barrett wrote that the bargaining committee was prepared to negotiate with Lear on Tuesday, but the company had a “different agenda.”
“They used their time to reject our members’ demand and produce a letter from General Motors demanding that seats be provided,” Barrett’s letter said. “The letter and its presentation were designed as an intimidation tactic to claim that Lear would lose the business if we did not accept the terms of the company’s offer.”
Barrett said the practice was unethical and illegal, so the union filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the NLRB.
When asked about the letter, GM spokesman Kevin Kelly emailed the Free Press the following statement: “We will not comment on communications between us and our suppliers. We reiterate our hope that the parties can reach an agreement as soon as possible.”
Neither a Lear spokesman nor a spokesman for UAW International or the NLRB responded to a request for comment.
GM-Druck
But Bill Hugeback, president of UAW Local 282, told the Free Press that GM’s impatience will help the union because every day that GM cannot build its vehicles costs the automaker money.
“This unit is very strong and united. They will hold out and get what they deserve. The Lear Corporation has made millions and millions of dollars,” Hugeback said. “The longer (the strike) goes on, I think GM will put more pressure on Lear because they are losing a lot of money because the plant is down.”
In fact, Wentzville Assembly is one of GM’s most important plants and one of the first plants the UAW struck last fall during its targeted so-called stand-up strike.
Hugeback said the union has made about 60 proposals to Lear that are currently unresolved. The two biggest issues revolve around health and safety regulations and production standards, which have led to the worst injuries at the plant, he said.
“We have presented the company with some contract clauses and are waiting for them to respond to our demands,” said Hugeback. “We have been negotiating for a month and a half and have received a whole series of proposals. We have not yet clarified the most important ones. We have told them that we will not extend the contract.”
On Monday, a Lear spokesperson sent the Free Press the following statement, asking that it be attributed to the company:
“We have been negotiating in good faith with the UAW for some time to reach a new collective bargaining agreement for our seat assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri. Despite progress in negotiations, the union informed us last night of its decision to strike. Lear Corporation stands firm in its support of our employees and the communities in which we operate. With over 100 years of experience in the automotive industry, we are proud of our successful relationships with our employees and union partners. We remain committed to reaching an agreement that benefits all parties.”
Contact Jamie L. LaReau: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @Subscribe to. Read more about General Motors and subscribe to our car newsletter. Become a subscriber.
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