UAW nixes handshakes to kick off Detroit 3 bargaining

The UAW is abandoning its longtime tradition of starting contract negotiations by coming together with top executives from the Detroit 3 for ceremonial handshakes.

Instead, union leaders are planning this week to visit assembly plants around Detroit to meet with members and hear their concerns ahead of bargaining. The union said negotiations with Stellantis will begin Thursday, followed by Ford Motor Co. on Friday and General Motors on July 18.

"The members come first," UAW President Shawn Fain said Monday in a statement. "I'll shake hands with the CEOs when they come to the table with a deal that reflects the needs of the workers who make this industry run. When the 150,000 autoworkers at Ford, GM, and Stellantis receive the respect they are due for their sacrifice in generating the historic profits of the past decade, then we can proceed with a handshake."

GM, in a statement, said it is "committed to providing jobs that support American workers, their families, and the communities where they live and work" and that it has "a long history of negotiating fair contracts with the UAW that reward our employees and support the long-term success of our business." The company did not comment on the UAW's decision to skip a handshake ceremony.

“Ford is proud to build more vehicles in America and employ more UAW-represented hourly workers in America than any other automaker," the company said in a statement. "We look forward to working with the UAW on creative solutions during this time when our dramatically changing industry needs a skilled and competitive workforce more than ever.”

Said Stellantis in a statement: "As we prepare to open negotiations with the UAW, we welcome President Shawn Fain and Vice President Rich Boyer to our Sterling Heights Assembly Plant on Wednesday to greet the dedicated women and men who build the award-winning Ram 1500.

"Stellantis and the UAW have a long history of working together, and our intent is to continue this partnership. On Thursday, we will begin discussions that will set our course for the next four years and beyond. Our focus will be on negotiating a contract that will ensure our future competitiveness in today’s rapidly changing global market and preserve good wages and benefits that recognize the contributions of our represented workforce.

"Together, we must approach these negotiations with open minds and a willingness to roll up our sleeves to find solutions that will result in a contract that is competitive in the market, provides a path to the middle class for our employees and meets the needs of our customers."

The handshake ceremonies were typically held in mid-July and attended by top union bargainers as well as CEOs and other executives from Ford, GM and Stellantis. Both parties typically offer public comments and are photographed reaching across a table to shake each others' hands.

The events can be awkward; four years ago, automaker leaders had to pose with then-UAW President Gary Jones even as a corruption scandal that ultimately sent him prison closed in around him. In 2015, former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne hugged then-UAW President Dennis Williams, which many rank-and-file members took as a sign of a too-cozy relationship; Williams also was later convicted in the corruption scandal.

Since being elected in March, Fain has indicated he is willing to break with tradition and has taken a more aggressive, militant tone against the Detroit 3. He said the companies can afford the union's demands for higher wages and additional benefits.

Lindsay VanHulle and Vince Bond contributed to this report.