NC’s governor praises weekend deal that averts major strike at Daimler Truck

Governor Roy Cooper is praising a tentative agreement between United Auto Workers and Daimler Truck. The UAW struck a four-year deal late Friday avoiding a potential strike that could have impacted more than 7,000 workers.

Cooper took to social media on Saturday to call the deal a “great win for hard working NC UAW members and their families.” Cooper also expressed his appreciation to UAW and Daimler leadership for staying at the negotiating table until the deal was done.

Attorney General Josh Stein, who is running for governor this year, echoed that sentiment saying North Carolina workers “deserve a fair shake that honors the work they do every day to provide for their families and keep our state strong.”

The agreement, which still must be ratified, includes raises of more than 25%, the end of wage tiers, the introduction profit-sharing, and Cost-of-Living (COLA) for the first time since Daimler workers first organized with the UAW.

Daimler Truck North America builds well-known brands like Freightliner trucks, Western Star trucks, and Thomas Built Buses.

Wearing shirts with the slogan “Tick tock”, workers had been prepared to walk off the job when their contract expired at 11:59pm on Friday.

UAW Local 3520 President Corey Hill told union members in Statesville on Saturday it was a historic win that would mean job security for workers.

“When we said, when we said we’ll keep jobs in America, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We said an example for the entire South,” said Hill.

Tanya Hendrix, who has worked for 27 years at Daimler’s plant in Cleveland, NC, said bargaining was different this time around with workers unwilling to accept concessions.

“We wanted big raises and we won. We wanted a cost-of-living increase and we won,” said Hendrix.

The UAW said over the past six year, Daimler’s profits had increased by 90% while the buying power of their workers had fallen by 13%.  Daimler Trucks reported better than expected earnings in 2023 with a robust outlook for 2024.

UAW President Shawn Fain said once the deal is ratified, workers will receive an immediate 10% raise.

The lowest paid workers at Thomas Built Bus, headquartered in High Point, will see raises of over $8 an hour, according to Fain.

“As early as [Friday], this company was still pushing huge hikes in your healthcare premiums until the final hours of bargaining. We told them, hell no, and we won,” Fain told UAW members Saturday.

Fain said for the first time UAW members came to the bargaining table to talk about their inability to make ends meet with their current wages.

“You got members that are living in their f—— car because they can’t afford to live. And when they came in and they talked, let me assure you one thing, we put the beat down on that company,” Fain said.

The new agreement also calls for workers who make heavy trucks for Daimler and workers who make Thomas Built Buses to get equal pay for equal work.

MaryBe McMillan, North Carolina AFL-CIO President, said the historic agreement signified a new day for workers who are willing to stand together.

“Workers here are tired of being the lowest paid, least unionized, most exploited workers in the country. And this victory makes it clear. We will not settle for crumbs when what we deserve is a much bigger piece of the pie,” said McMillan.

One week earlier, Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee voted to join the United Auto Workers. Of the 3,613 votes cast, 73% voted “Yes” for representation.

Next month, workers at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama will cast their vote starting May 13 on whether to join the UAW.

“Together we are going to unionize workers across the South,” said McMillan. “And we are going to win justice for workers everywhere.”