The United Auto Workers announced late Wednesday it has reached a tentative agreement with Ford.
UAW President Shawn Fain posted a video on the social media platform X, announcing the tentative agreement. He called it a “major victory.”
“Today, we’ve reached a tentative agreement with Ford. For months, we’ve said record profits mean record contracts,” Fain said. “UAW family, our Stand Up Strike has delivered. What started at three plants at midnight on September 15th has become a national movement. We knew we were getting close, but also knew the companies needed a major push if we were going to make sure we got every penny possible in this agreement. So we took our strike to a new phase and hit the companies with maximum effect.”
Ford CEO and President Jim Farley confirmed the tentative agreement in a press release.
“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with the UAW covering our U.S. operations,” Farley said. “Ford is proud to assemble the most vehicles in America and employ the most hourly auto workers. We are focused on restarting the 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 announcement of the deal came after more workers at Stellantis and GM plants went on strike this week. Fain said UAW was set to call on workers at another Ford facility to strike this week, pressing negotiations.
“On Day 40 of the Stand Up Strike, we reached a historic agreement,” Fain said.
The agreement will now go to the UAW National Ford Council on Sunday to vote on whether to send it to membership. The agreement will then be reviewed publicly on Facebook Live on Sunday evening. Regional meetings will be held to walk through the agreement with local leaders. The final step will be holding a ratification vote.
UAW leadership is calling on the thousands of Ford workers on strike to return to work as the tentative agreement is voted on.
Chuck Browning UAW Vice President said, “This agreement puts more money on the table than the 2019 agreement four times over.”
“With COLA, we expect the top wage rate to increase by over 30 percent to above $40 an hour. Our starting wage rate will rise 68 percent.”
Temps will see significant raises also.
Browning said some workers at Sterling Axle and Rawsonville will get an immediate raise of up to 85 percent.
“UAW members at Ford will receive more in straight general wage increases over the next four and a half years than we have over the last 22 years combined,” Browning added. “At ratification, Ford workers will receive an immediate 11 percent wage increase. That is almost equal to all wage increases since 2007 combined.”
Along with the raises, the deal includes increases in retirement benefits. It includes the right to strike over plant closures.
