For the
second time in just over three weeks, the UAW and Fiat Chrysler
reached a tentative agreement on October 7, 2015, narrowly avoiding
a strike deadline of 11:59 p.m. unilaterally imposed by the UAW.
This time, however, there was no joint press conference with UAW
President Dennis Williams and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne
filled with smiles and congratulations. Instead, a simple
announcement by the UAW on its Facebook page as well as a press
release from Fiat Chrysler informed the public that a new tentative
agreement had been reached.
One of the
main concerns from the membership about the first tentative
agreement was the apparent continuation of the two-tier wage
structure. The UAW membership was clearly hoping for more cash
(which is just as good as money). The new tentative agreement
provides the ability for entry level employees to reach the Tier 1
wage rates within eight years. The membership was also concerned
about a lack of details regarding
