During a conference call on Thursday, a senior Ford executive expressed concerns about the United Auto Workers’ strike at the company’s most profitable factory. Kumar Galhotra, head of Ford’s combustion vehicle unit, stated that the automaker is “at the limit” of what it can spend on higher wages and benefits for workers. Galhotra emphasized that going further would hurt the company’s ability to invest in the business. However, Ford is open to reallocating funds within its current offer to secure an agreement with the union.
In addition, Ford is working with the UAW to include workers from joint-venture electric vehicle battery plants in the UAW-Ford agreement. As negotiations continue with Chrysler parent Stellantis, UAW President Shawn Fain expressed hope that talks at Stellantis would be more productive than the previous day’s discussions at Ford.
The strike at Ford’s Kentucky Truck factory could potentially affect thousands of workers, including 4,600 Ford employees, as their jobs depend on the production of Super Duty pickups and large SUVs. Already, 13,000 workers at Ford suppliers have been furloughed due to earlier UAW walkouts. This shutdown could have a detrimental impact on the supply chain and potentially lead to collapse.
The UAW has argued that Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis can afford to increase pay for workers beyond their current offers. They are pushing to end lower wage tiers for lower seniority and temporary workers and restore defined benefit pensions lost in 2007. UAW officials believe this can be accomplished by reining in share buybacks and cutting excessive executive pay.
The recent strike at the Kentucky Truck factory is seen as a significant development in the UAW’s ongoing campaign of strikes. It serves as a warning to Stellantis and General Motors, whose wage and benefits offers fall short of Ford’s. Analysts speculate that GM and Stellantis should be concerned if they fail to present new offers.
The repercussions of the strike are already being felt, as Delta Air Lines reported a curtailed amount of business in Detroit due to the UAW strike. Despite the automakers’ efforts to improve wage offers and working conditions, the UAW continues to demand higher wages, the abolishment of a two-tier wage system, and expanded unionization in battery plants.
While the strike at Ford’s Kentucky Truck plant affects 8,700 workers, less than a quarter of the 150,000 UAW workers across the Detroit Three automakers are currently on strike. However, additional workers have been furloughed due to the strike, leading to potential layoffs at other plants.
The Kentucky truck plant is Ford’s most profitable operation and generates a significant portion of the company’s annual sales. UAW President Shawn Fain aims to keep the automakers off-balance by taking targeted actions rather than a full strike. The UAW plans to leverage the anticipated robust profits of the Detroit automakers’ third-quarter financial results set to be reported between October 24 and October 31 to negotiate a better contract.
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