October 27, 2023 - UAW strike might be ending | Kansas GOP peddles lies about working poor | Ohioans may legalize cannabis on Issue 2 in November | Dark money floods into Denver school board elections | Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announces $402MM in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to replace lead drinking water service lines | SCOTUS smacks down another racial gerrymander from a GOP state legislature in the South Support what we do by leaving a five star rating and a review wherever you listen and follow us on social media at the heartland pod. Also check out heartlandpod.com and click the patreon link to learn about becoming a podhead today.https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/26/we-won-things-nobody-thought-possible-uaw-reaches-tentative-deal-with-ford/What started at three plants at midnight on Sept. 15, has become a national movement,” said Fain. “We won things nobody thought possible. Since the strike began, Ford put 50% more on the table than when we walked out. This agreement sets us on a new path to make things right at Ford, at the Big Three, and across the auto industry. Together, we are turning the tide for the working class in this country.”Ford confirmed the deal in a news statement Wednesday night. “We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with the UAW covering our U.S. operations,” the company said.“Ford is proud to assemble the most vehicles in America and employ the most hourly autoworkers. We are focused on restarting Kentucky Truck Plant, Michigan Assembly Plant and Chicago Assembly Plant, calling 20,000 Ford employees back to work and shipping our full lineup to our customers again,” the automaker said in a statement. “The agreement is subject to ratification by Ford’s UAW-represented employees. Consistent with the ratification process, the UAW will share details with its membership.”While Ford did not detail the terms of the tentative agreement, the UAW released some of the terms:It provides more in base wage increases than Ford workers have received in the past 22 years.The agreement grants 25% in base wage increases through April 2028.It cumulatively raises the top wage by over 30% to more than $40 an hour.It raises the starting wage by 68%, to over $28 an hour.The lowest-paid workers at Ford will see a raise of more than 150% over the life of the agreement.Some workers will receive an immediate 85% increase immediately upon ratification.The agreement reinstates major benefits lost during the Great Recession, including Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA) and a three-year wage progression, as well as killing wage tiers in the union.It improves retirement for current retirees, those workers with pensions, and those who have 401(k) plans. It also includes a historic right to strike over plant closures, a first for the union.During a Friday livestream, Fain had detailed the latest proposals at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, highlighting the shortcomings of the latter’s current offer. The union represents about 150,000 members. The latest picket site on Tuesday at GM’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas brought the total number of UAW members on strike at the Big Three automakers to more than 45,000. The UAW remains on strike against GM and Stellantis, but the Ford deal could become the blueprint to settle those contracts.The strike began on Sept. 15 with a walkout against three assembly plants in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. It has since grown to include eight assembly plants and 38 parts distribution centers in 22 states. President Joe Biden in September made a historic visit to the picket line alongside Fain at the Willow Run Redistribution Center in Belleville. He said in a statement Wednesday night that he applauds the “UAW and Ford for coming together after a hard fought, good faith negotiation and reaching a historic tentative agreement tonight. “This tentative agreement provides a record raise to auto workers who have sacrificed so much to ensure our iconic Bi