Because neither Ford Motor Co. nor Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is asking for plant closures — on the contrary, FCA is building a plant in Detroit that will employ thousands of new workers — the contract's benefits for those automakers are slim.
If Ford and FCA use GM's agreement as a template, as expected, Dziczek said, "what are their wins at the table?"
Reduced health care costs, for example, would have benefited all three companies. Under the pattern-bargaining philosophy, the union likely will demand the same wage increases and lump-sum payments from FCA and Ford.
The UAW said it would next focus on reaching a deal with Ford before moving to FCA.
"Because FCA and Ford have no particular issues of plant closures to negotiate, the fact that GM paid up to get those plant closures will also impact Ford and FCA," said Houchois, the Jefferies analyst. "The pain of fixed costs on the labor side will be shared, but on the capacity side, it's a net gain for GM."
The lump-sum payments, wage increases and bonuses made the latest contract expensive for GM, added Schwartz.
But by closing the plants, "the principal of 'the company runs the company' is maintained. GM gets to run the business."