Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LABOR NEWS—UAW secures tentative agreement at American Axle following 10-day strike, (Jun 12, 2026)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

The deal includes a pathway to a $30 hourly wage by 2030 and immediate raises for legacy workers.

UAW Local 2093 members at American Axle have reached a tentative agreement with the company after a 10-day strike at the Three Rivers, Michigan, plant. The deal delivers the union’s central demand of a $30 per hour top wage by 2030 while providing immediate pay increases and preserving existing health care terms. The agreement marks a significant development in a dispute rooted in wage concessions dating back to the 2008 recession.

Tentative agreement reached. After walking out just after midnight on June 1, 2026, nearly 1,000 members of UAW Local 2093 reached a tentative agreement on June 10 that secures a more than 36 percent increase to the top wage rate over four years, culminating in $30 per hour by 2030. The plant, a Tier 1 supplier to General Motors, produces parts for pickup trucks and had been operating under an expired contract since May 31, 2026.

The agreement also provides immediate wage gains for certain workers. Legacy employees hired before May 31, 2012—many of whom experienced significant wage cuts during the Great Recession—will receive an $8 per hour increase upon ratification. In 2008, some long-tenured workers saw hourly pay reduced from as much as $29 to $14.50 as part of concessions aimed at keeping the facility open.

Time off and health benefits. Beyond wages, the tentative contract includes additional paid time off and maintains current health care costs without concessions, addressing key issues raised during bargaining. According to union leadership, the company had previously asserted that maintaining existing health care terms would not be feasible.

Union leadership framed the agreement as a recovery of long-standing concessions. UAW President Shawn Fain stated that, following “18 years of sacrifice,” workers are regaining “a big chunk of what was taken from them.” Regional leadership likewise emphasized that the agreement addresses both legacy workers and future hires at the facility.

The tentative agreement must still be ratified by the membership. In the coming days, workers will review the contract terms and vote on whether to approve the deal, which would formally end the strike and establish a new collective bargaining agreement governing wages, benefits, and other working conditions at the Three Rivers plant.

Strike. The strike itself followed a decisive membership vote, with 98 percent of Local 2093 members authorizing the walkout earlier in May 2026 after contract negotiations stalled. Picket lines began at 6:00 a.m. on June 1, shortly after the strike officially commenced. The union characterized the work stoppage as an unfair labor practice strike tied to unresolved bargaining disputes (see Labor and Employment Law Daily, June 2, 2026).

Companies: American Axle; Dauch Corporation; General Motors

News: LaborNews Labor Bargaining UnfairLaborPractices WageHour