Categories: Automobile

GM agrees to 8.5 percent raise with new Mexico union

[ad_1]

MEXICO CITY – General Motors has agreed a 8.5 percent wage hike with the new, independent union at its pick-up truck plant in the central Mexican city of Silao, labor representatives said on Thursday, one of the highest recent raises in the country’s auto industry.

A GM Mexico spokeswoman confirmed the raise in an email to Automotive News. The plant builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.

The deal with union SINTTIA also marks the first major raise since the start of a new trade deal, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which aims to reduce the vast wage gap between U.S. and Mexican workers.

“It’s a victory, a step in the right direction,” said Gaspar Rivera Salgado, director of the Center for Mexican Studies at the University of California Los Angeles. It remains to be seen if such raises can be easily duplicated, he added.

Following a vote closely watched by U.S. officials, SINTTIA this year became the first independent union in the GM Silao plant’s history, in an early test of USMCA labor rules.

SINTTIA said alongside wages, the deal comprises bigger bonuses, a 14 percent increase in grocery vouchers and a mandatory day off on Christmas Eve.

The new contract also stipulates GM and the union will form working groups to negotiate work schedules; a protocol for dealing with sexual harassment cases; and a program to push back against inflation in the coming years.

The contract is good for two years, although salaries will be up for review in a year, said Alejandra Morales, SINTTIA’s secretary general.

Morales said she hoped workers at other plants would see news of the raise as a sign of what independent unions can accomplish in a country where many companies sign so-called “protection contracts” without worker knowledge.

“Before, there were deals just between companies and unions. Today it’s possible for us workers to have real negotiations,” said Morales, a GM Silao employee for nearly 12 years.

The workers will vote to approve the deal later this month.

SINTTIA had pushed for raises above inflation, which accelerated to 7.68 percent in April in Mexico. It initially proposed a 19.2 percent increase, which GM countered with a 3.5 percent offer.

The pay deal appears to outstrip others recently struck by independent unions in Mexico’s auto sector.

Nissan this year agreed to boost wages 6.5 percent, while last year Volkswagen agreed to a 5.5 percent raise. Audi’s contract, according to local media, calls for raising wages 5.4 percent each year from 2020 to 2022.

 

[ad_2]
Source link
Admin

Recent Posts

Kijangwin is the latest online video gaming provider

Kijangwin is your brand-new go-to destination for all things internet gaming. Whether you're an informal…

2 days ago

How to Style Trendy Clothes Effortlessly

Hey there, fashion enthusiasts! Are you ready to dive into the world of trendy clothes…

3 days ago

How to effectively recover your frozen/stolen funds from fraudulent platforms

Hey there! If you're reading this, there's a good chance you've found yourself in the…

3 days ago

Important things about Core 2 . 0 regarding Hemp Users

Hey there, hemp enthusiasts! If you've been on the hunt for the next big thing…

5 days ago

Exploring the Features and Benefits of Strio

Hey there! Have you ever found yourself tangled up in the world of communication and…

1 week ago

The Importance of Pre-Sale Pest Control: Ensuring a Smooth Home Transaction

Are you worried that hidden critters might derail your home sale? Selling a house can…

1 week ago