UAW Autoworker adriana Jaime, 59, from Detroit worked for 21 years at the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, and walks the picket line with other UAW members on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. General Motors and the UAW reached a proposed tentative agreement on a new contract Wednesday, the 31st day of a nationwide strike.

(Photo: Kimberly. Mitchell, Detroit Free press)

Detroit-the Hamtramck Assembly plant will remain open to produce an electric pickup truck as part of a proposed deal between the UAW and General Motors, according to people familiar with the preliminary arrangement.

News Wednesday confirms an earlier Free press report that an electric pickup truck is planned at the plant closest to general Motors ‘ headquarters at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit.

Additional information, including the number of electric pickups that will be produced at D-Ham, how many workers will be needed locally and when the plant will be refitted, was not immediately available. positive vote on ratification.

The 4-million-square-foot plant, which borders the Detroit-Hamtramck border, was among those scheduled to be “Unallocated” in GM’s surprise announcement of a future product last year. However, the plant was inactive until the strike, and was still working on an expansion granted in February to produce the Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Impala. News about the future of other undistributed plants, such as in Lordstown, Ohio, was not available.

Workers on the picket line at D-Ham Wednesday who spoke to the “Free press” before the electric pickup news was confirmed sounded pleased with the prospect of a new vehicle but also fearful of what it would mean for them. Automakers are ramping up production plans for more electrification in their fleets, but EVs are still part of the new-car market.

“Any product is a good product. Are people ready for an electric pickup …””, reflected Kurt Figel, 66, of Roseville, noting that ” they are not very lucky with the volt.

The Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid, was made on the D-Ham but was among a number of car models discontinued by GM, with production ending earlier this year. The company still has all electric Chevy Bolt, but this vehicle is a relatively low volume offering.

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GM finds itself in competition for electric pickups with not only established players who have announced plans for them, but also newcomers such as Rivian, which has generated a lot of interest for its planned electric SUVs and pickups.

Rivian, with whom GM is reportedly in talks at one point, secured significant investment from Ford and Amazon. That company, with offices in Plymouth township West of Detroit, drew a crowd on Sunday as it showed off its vehicles in Chicago, Illinois, where it has its factory.

Kristin Dziczek, Vice President of industry, labor and Economics at the center for automotive research in Ann arbor, said details about the production of any new electric vehicle would be key for D-Ham in part because of competition.

“Everyone has electric pickups coming in the next couple of years, even an electric F-150. They’re all trying to get that to market pretty soon, ” Dziczek said.

The depletion of $ 7,500 in Federal tax breaks for electric car buyers from GM and Tesla raises questions about the ability of companies to maintain or grow demand for electric cars as they face competitors who still retain incentives, she said.

For the D-Ham, the other question will be how many electric pickups will be built. If it’s 50,000 or less, another product will probably be needed there, she said.

While many predict that electric cars are the future for the auto industry, the production of the vehicles themselves is expected to employ fewer workers because the vehicles have fewer parts.

Receiving news

Word that a tentative agreement with GM was reached came as Maurice Faust arrived for his four-hour picket shift in the midst of a cold drizzle on D-Ham at noon Wednesday.

“I just got it from my text as I was pulling in my truck,” said Faust, a 42-year veteran GM who lives in Southfield and has worked at the plant since 1997.

Faust, 63, hopes the deal will meet the needs of workers, but if not, he said he is willing to stay on strike longer, noting that his weather is appropriate jacket.

“If necessary, I will do what I have to do,” he said, noting the message behind the strike. “You have to show them that you can starve, just as they can starve.”

The announcement of the proposed tentative agreement on the 31st day of the UAW’s national strike against GM does not mean that workers will automatically return to their jobs. The UAW’s national grandmaster Council is set to meet on Thursday to consider recommending a deal for full members and could either continue the strike until ratification or end it.

D-Ham workers walking picket lines in their rain gear Wednesday sounded like Faust, generally pleased with the news of a potential deal, but insisted that some issues, including job security and a path for temporary workers to become permanent, should be Addressed. Some said they believed the presence of GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra at recent negotiating sessions likely influenced the talks.

‘A beautiful day for a picket’

Despite the rain, Figel said it was a “beautiful day for picketing” as he considered the prospect of a settlement. He is three months away from retirement but remains concerned about other workers, including a son-in-law, who will deal with the results of any new contract. He would like to see a better pension benefit, but also a better one for temporary workers, with some workers doing half what others do and creating an ” unhappy workplace.”

For Cathy faith, 48, of CASCO, ” seeing is believing.”

While news of the tentative agreement sounds promising, faith wants to see the details. Like her colleagues, she is also concerned about temporary workers.

“You’ve been with the company for so long, that should count,” said faith, who works in the paint shop.

As for the electric pickup in the factory? That’s positive for Vera because it means D-Ham will stay open, but she also called it a win-win situation because of the expectation of fewer workers.

If the plant would get additional products beyond just an electric pickup, “that would be great,” she said.

GM in General should make more products in American factories, Vera said.

“We buy products, we have to make products,” she said, noting that she does not mean disrespect to Mexican workers.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: [email protected] or (313) 223-4272. Follow him on Twitter: Zerikdlaverents.

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