WENTZVILLE, Mo. — Striking auto workers made a big gain at the bargaining table.
The United Auto Workers International Union announced Friday that General Motors agreed to include workers at its electric vehicle battery plants in the national contract.
Previously, GM said it could not be done because of ties with companies in Asia. The agreement opens the EV battery plants to unionization.
Agreeing to have electric vehicle battery plants under the UAW umbrella is a step toward job security during the transition from gas to electric vehicles.
Right now, only GM has made this concession to the union.
"We expect it to win at Ford and Stellantis as well," UAW International Union President Shawn Fain said in a Friday live video on social media.
Putting EV jobs on the national UAW contract is a big deal for members.
"The plan was to draw down engine and transmission plants and permanently replace them with low-wage battery jobs," Fain said.
The EV concession by GM could signal a future deal for striking workers in Wentzville.
"We are fighting for a fair agreement for all of us to be able to get back to work," UAW Local 2250 President Katie Deatherage said. "I know the company wants us back to work to build their products and my membership is ready to go back to work."
GM avoided a major strike expansion by working with the UAW on EV plants. In Friday afternoon's live address, Fain told members the union was ready to shut down "GM's largest money maker in Arlington, Texas."
Instead, the union stood down and did not strike any more plants. The move was a first since the strike started three weeks ago.
"We're still going to hold the line," Deatherage told 5 On Your Side, "Continue to fight this fight that we need to be in to gain a good contract, to gain a fair contract."
As the days get shorter and colder, the strike is starting to wear on.
"It's come and go," Wentzville GM Plant Team Leader Jason Taylor told 5 On Your Side, "A lot of people are really wanting to get back to work, but we understand that the fight has to go on."
The support from fellow unions and politicians has boosted morale at a time when members need it most. Taylor says, "to have the visit of the president and congressmen coming in to basically support you, it's never been done before, that's absolutely a positive."