2021 Virginia Volvo Trucks strike
2021 Virginia Volvo Trucks strike | |||
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Date | April 17–30, 2021 (1 week and 6 days) June 7 – July 18, 2021 (1 month, 1 week and 4 days) | ||
Location | |||
Caused by | Disagreements over terms of a new labor contract | ||
Methods | |||
Resulted in | New labor contract includes signing bonus, increased wages, and other provisions | ||
Parties | |||
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The 2021 Virginia Volvo Trucks strike was a
, United States. The strike began in April and ended in July with the ratification of a new labor contract.Of the 3,300 workers at the plant, 2,900 were union members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2069. In March 2021, the labor contract between the union and company expired, and while the union authorized a 30-day extension while both sides continued to negotiate the terms of a replacement, neither side could come to an agreement, with disagreements primarily covering wage increases, job securities, and health care, among other issues. As a result, on April 17, Local 2069 commenced with strike action against the plant, with workers picketing outside while negotiations continued. On April 30, the strike was called off after UAW announced a tentative agreement had been reached with the company. However, members voted to overwhelmingly reject this agreement on May 16 and proceeded to reject a second tentative agreement on June 6. Following this, on June 7, strike action recommenced. About a month after this, on July 9, union members rejected a third tentative agreement that had been reached between UAW and Volvo Trucks. On July 11, the company declared an impasse and stated they would be reopening the plant, with the third tentative agreement serving as their final offer to the union. In a vote held on July 14, union members narrowly voted to accept the terms of the agreement, with strikers returning to work on July 18, thus ending the strike.
The terms of the new contract included a $2,000 signing bonus for most of the union members, a 12 percent annual wage increase over the six-year life of the contract, and a price freeze on health care premiums for the duration of the contract, among other provisions.
Background
Course of the strike
First strike action
The strike began on April 17,
Second strike action
On June 7, with both proposals having been rejected by union members, Local 2069 recommenced strike action at noon.
On July 9, for a third time the union members voted to reject the proposal, with roughly 60 percent voting against it.[27] Similarly to the previous two times, the company again issued a statement that stressed the UAW leadership's support for the proposal and that they would "consider all options" related to a resolution to the strike.[27][28] On July 11, the company announced that the negotiators for both sides were at an impasse and that they would reopen the facility the next day under the terms of the last proposal, which the company deemed its final offer.[24] Shortly thereafter, the union announced a vote on the final offer had been scheduled for July 14.[24][11][29] Local 2069 President Blondino stated that the company was attempting to break the union with their decision to declare an impasse, and he said that, following the vote, the local would have the option of filing a complaint against the company with the National Labor Relations Board.[30][31] On that day, by a slim margin, the contract was approved, with strikers to return to work on July 18.[32] The hourly portion of the contract was approved in a 1,147–1,130 vote,[33] while the common portion passed in a vote of 1,193–1,176.[34] However, despite this, salaried workers voted to reject their part of the contract in a vote of 54-40.[32][note 1] meaning that further negotiations would continue.[32]
Aftermath
According to the Associated Press, the final offer contained higher wage increases than the second proposal the company had made and included pay bonuses.[12] Specifically, the contract included a 12 percent pay raise spread out over the course of the six years the contract would be in effect.[12] Additionally, newer workers would be phased out of a two-tier pay system that saw them make less money than employees who had been working at the plant for longer, so that at the end of the six years, all workers would be making an hourly wage of $30.92.[12] Most of the employees would also receive a one-time $2,000 signing bonus.[21] The contract also includes a price freeze on the company's health care premiums for the duration of the contract.[12] With regards to the salaried employees, UAW President Curry stated after the vote that a process for addressing their concerns would be set up to resolve the lingering dispute.[33]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ "New River Valley Plant". Volvo Trucks. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ranaivo, Yann (April 17, 2021). "Volvo workers strike at Pulaski County plant". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Strike ends at Volvo Trucks in Pulaski County". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. April 30, 2021. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Moxley, Tonia (June 7, 2021). "Union strike begins at Volvo plant in Dublin". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c Harvey, Neil (May 16, 2021). "Unionized workers at Volvo Trucks overwhelmingly reject contract proposal". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on June 30, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b "Volvo and union at Pulaski County plant strike tentative deal". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. July 1, 2021. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "No deal: Volvo truck workers striking again in Virginia". ABC News. American Broadcasting Company. Associated Press. June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b "Union to strike at Volvo's Pulaski County plant after second contract rejection". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Otey, Jazmine (April 17, 2021). "New River Valley auto workers go on strike at Volvo truck plant". WSLS-TV. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Szczesny, Joseph (April 20, 2021). "UAW Walking Picket Lines in Strike Against Volvo Truck". The Detroit Bureau. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Szczesny, Joseph (July 12, 2021). "Third Time isn't the Charm as UAW Votes No — Volvo Issues Ultimatum". The Detroit Bureau. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ AP News. Associated Press. Archivedfrom the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Sturgeon, Jeff (April 23, 2021). "Strike at Pulaski County Volvo plant enters 2nd week". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ DeLuca, Pete (April 17, 2021). "United Auto Workers at Dublin Volvo plant go on strike". WDBJ. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Reece, Janay (April 19, 2021). "Pulaski County auto workers at Volvo truck plant remain on strike". WDBJ. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Hawkins, Arrin (May 10, 2021). "'We will not back down,' 2,900 striking autoworkers tell Volvo". The Militant. 85 (18). Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Fabris, Casey (May 20, 2021). "Volvo reaches tentative agreement with union". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Rubinstein, Arlene (June 28, 2021). "Volvo Truck workers strike over wages, divisive two-tier". The Militant. 85 (25). Archived from the original on June 19, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Reece, Janay (June 7, 2021). "WDBJ Exclusive: UAW leader speaks out on strike at Volvo Trucks". WDBJ. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Moxley, Tonia (June 18, 2021). "Strike continues in Pulaski County as UAW calls on Volvo to come back to bargaining". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Finley, Ben; Krisher, Tom (July 12, 2021). "Volvo Trucks to restart Virginia factory as strike continues". ABC News. American Broadcasting Company. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Callahan, Eddie (June 14, 2021). "Volvo Trucks, union negotiations resume Tuesday". WDBJ. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Rubinstein, Arlene (July 12, 2021). "Volvo strike in Virginia fights divisive wage tiers". The Militant. 85 (27). Archived from the original on July 3, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c Moxley, Tonia (July 12, 2021). "Experts: UAW and Volvo face risks in current contract impasse". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Union, Volvo reach tentative deal at Virginia truck plant". ABC News. American Broadcasting Company. Associated Press. July 1, 2021. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Moxley, Tonia (July 2, 2021). "Volvo workers in Dublin to vote on third tentative contract; company releases details". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Moxley, Tonia (July 9, 2021). "Volvo workers in Dublin reject third tentative contract". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Lawrence, Eric D. (July 10, 2021). "Workers reject 3rd tentative agreement at Virginia Volvo plant". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Reece, Janay (July 13, 2021). "Volvo Truck worker speaks out about strike from the picket line". WDBJ. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Friedenberger, Amy (July 12, 2021). "Volvo leadership and union respond to impasse as Pulaski County plant reopens". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Rubinstein, Arlene (July 26, 2021). "Autoworkers stand up to Volvo truck bosses". The Militant. 85 (29). Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c Moxley, Tonia (July 14, 2021). "Volvo workers at Pulaski County plant narrowly approve contract". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c Finley, Ben; Krisher, Tom (July 15, 2021). "UAW factory workers ratify deal, will end Volvo truck strike". ABC News. American Broadcasting Company. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Lawrence, Eric D. (July 15, 2021). "UAW-represented Volvo workers OK contract they rejected earlier, ending strike". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
Further reading
- Kitts, Derek (April 29, 2021). "Letter: Democracy in action". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- "Watch now: Unionized Volvo Trucks workers go on strike". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- "Volvo strike". The Roanoke Times. Lee Enterprises. June 18, 2021. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.