Union leaders say Detroit automakers are abusing the system to save money by treating temps like full-time workers — one major point of contention in current contract talks that have led to more than 25,000 auto workers going on strike, The Associated Press reported. 

Under contracts negotiated in 2019, temporary workers reach full-time status at GM after 19 months of continuous employment and at Ford after two years. At Stellantis, they get preferential hiring but no guarantees. In the current negotiations, GM and Stellantis have made offers to increase temporary worker starting pay from $16.67 to about $20 per hour. Ford raised its offer to $21 per hour with profit sharing and said it would make temporaries full-time workers after 90 days of continuous service. 

“Temp work has to be temporary work,” said AP quoted UAW President Shawn Fain as saying weeks before the strike began. “We’re going to end the abuse of temps.”