UAW board approves pay increase for striking workers
The United Auto Workers board voted on Saturday to bump up workers' strike pay by $25 a week and allow them to take part-time jobs and still qualify for the benefit.
The decision comes as the UAW's nationwide strike against General Motors is a few days away from its one-month mark.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM | GENERAL MOTORS CO. | 55.68 | +0.81 | +1.48% |
Starting on Sunday, workers who perform picket duty will get $275 a week in strike pay. Strike pay was $250 a week and was already set to rise to $275 in 2020.
"UAW members and their families are sacrificing for all of us," union president Gary Jones said in a statement. "We are all standing together for our future. This action reflects the UAW commitment and solidarity to all of our members and their families who are taking a courageous stand together to protect our middle-class way of life."
A member of the United Auto Workers walks the picket line at the General Motors Romulus Powertrain plant in Romulus, Mich., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The looser standards will also apply to UAW-represented Aramark janitorial employees who work at GM facilities and walked off the job a day before autoworkers did the same.
Previously, if workers performed outside work earning more than $250 a week, they forfeited the strike pay. Those workers still qualified for specified health care benefits available through the UAW Strike and Defense Fund.
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$250 a week comes to $6.25 an hour, below the federal minimum wage of $7.25.