While Ford has been facing a strike from its United Auto Workers (UAW) represented employees for several days now – not to mention another possible strike by Canadian union Unifor as well – talks between the two sides continue, though they seemingly remain far apart, even with outside intervention. However, while the union is only currently striking at the Michigan Assembly plant, which builds the Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger and is where FoMoCo laid off 600 workers as a result this week – it noted that if talks don’t make notable progress by Friday, the UAW will look at additional plant walk-outs. At the same time, the union has released yet another scathing video taking aim at what it calls “corporate greed,” though Ford has already issued its own reponse to that clip, too.
“Over the last eight weeks, the CEOs didn’t seem to be able to find the time to to show up for bargaining,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “But in the last week, the CEOs and the executives have found a lot of time to be able to go on corporate news and talk the talk. They pretend the sky will fall if we get our fair share of the one-quarter of the profits the Big Three has made over the past decade. They want to say that our righteous fight for a higher quality of life for the working class would wreck the economy. We’re not going to wreck the economy. We’re going to wreck their economy, because it only works for the billionaire class.”
.@Ford responds to latest @uaw video https://t.co/ITXxX6HnP6 pic.twitter.com/uONmx37DIE
— David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) September 19, 2023
Ford responded with its own statement that “fact checks” Fain’s claims in the video, noting that “in the last 15 years, our North America adjusted EBIT was higher than 2022 three times, in 2013, 2015, and 2016 – 10, eight, and seven years ago. The UAW’s demands would wipe out billions of dollars of profitability that is essential to investing in our future, including creating and sustaining good-paying U.S. jobs, and beating non-union foreign automakers.” Additionally, it claims that “since 2019, Ford’s CEO salary is down 6 percent; total CEO compensation is up 21 percent, not 40 percent.”
While all three automakers are now offering the UAW a 20 percent pay increase, the union is reportedly seeking a recently-lowered ask of around 36 percent. Otherwise, the union is asking for the return of cost of living increases, the end of tiered pay systems, pensions for new hires, increased pensions for retirees, and a four-day, 32-hour full time work week.
We’ll have more on the UAW strike soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
I’ve been a Ford customer and stockholder for years but the current CEO is destroying the company. Stock can’t seem to grow, quality is suffering and the push for EVs is not what Americans want.
The push for EV’s at the prices they are charging and their failed dealers are destroying the company. The BIG experienced automaker can’t keep up with Tesla, a ~10 year old automaker. How embarrassing.
To be fair, Tesla only makes 4 models soon to be 5. Ford makes how many models with how many different trim levels each?
Teslas are cheaply made. About as generic and bland as you can get in styling.
Thats why they sold
5 million ev as of yesterday. Thats why they innovate with single castings. Your knowledge is very limited so read about ev history and the growth of Tesla.
No american wants an EV?
Not at these prices, Alfred. All that money that Ford has spent on EVs should have gone to the members of UAW. If you can afford to buy a EV, you are fortunate BUT most people can’t. As a result of all this, Ford saw the opportunity to also raise the cost of ICE vehicles. They now make more money than ever before. The workers deserve some of that profit. Can you comprehend that Alfred?
Most people can’t afford 30k seems likely to be untrue. The entry Tesla Model 3 is $29,740. The Camary starts at $26,420 & the Accord is $27,895.
Affordable ev are here. The Bolt 259 mile range is $21000 after tax credit. A mach e is $35000 and model y is $32000. Remember one point on ev little maintenance required.
Completely true!
Really? Are you living in a tent? Its like way back no one wants a computer. You are living in the awakening of ev cars. 2021 started the explosion. Within 10 years 50% of new cars will be ev. GaS cars will be around for all our life times combined. Choice is good.
That’s not true, Michael. Ford is doing this to appease the WOKE and green new deal followers. Regardless, that is Ford’s problem. The workers need a raise and has nothing to do about how Ford wastes that money.
Seriously!?!? The Obama/Biden EPA rules mandate a majority of vehicle production to be EVs within a handful of years. Are you so clueless to not know that California has an impending ban on new internal combustion engines (and numerous liberal states are following California’s ban).
Then take them to court. There are 50 states in the USA, and each have different transportation needs. Instead of kissing Newsome’s @ss like Farley did, they should be challenging these mandates in court.
Ford and gm need to grow a pair and challenge these draconian mandates in court. There is no way a group of three or four clueless bureaucrats in California should have to the power to influence what automakers build. Of course, virtue signaling is the name of the game for today’s Ford and gm, and they have the lost market share to prove it.
Absolutely!
You are living in the past. Why invest in computers they are only fads. You are one of them.
And UAW greed will aggravate the problem.
Greed? History lesson..in 2008 we had a housing bubble burst stocks dropped 50pct and GM Ford Chrysler need concessions from the unions. No pay raises since 2008 no cola no pension add on. 2 tier wages. They are asking for fairness. They lost 19% in wages with cola and no pay increases. 36% increase is fair
and eliminating 2 tier system. As a steel worker I made top pay $49 hr in 2005 today its down to $39. I got a pension but their are no more. Middle class is being eaten alive by corporate management all earning 6 digit salaries. Check out on glass door. As mary Barra told cnn she makes $29 million keeping cost down especially labor costs.
I’m a Ford employee (starting my 7th year and I’m the average Ford worker) and I don’t make $112,000 with my benefits!! The offer doesn’t end wage tiers!! My co worker that does the job in front of me makes $24.40 and I just maxed out at $31.78!!! As far as health care goes, we deserve the best healthcare. When we have workers who have already had multiple surgeries because of the jobs we have then they should pay so we can get back to work!!!
Bottom line is that when the Ford workers bailed out Ford back in 2008, Ford hasn’t given us back anything we gave up so Ford didn’t have to take your tax dollars to keep them from going bankrupt!!!!
The current Ford offer raises your hourly rate to $38 + and hour. That’s almost $80,000 a year plus benefits. Talk about greed !! Grow up, take the deal and go back to work’
The UAW did not bail out Ford. You weren’t there. I was. The so-called concessions had zero effect on every UAW member in 2008. Quit drinking the KoolAid.
Truth
I just gave out a history lesson on your union membership did in 2008. Good luck
Ford was not bailed out in 2008. GM and Chrysler were.
The UAW is wanting “their share” of the profits, and 40 hours pay for 32 hours work. I guess that’s how it works with Socialism and Communist countries. This is not how the USA grew.
Mike S, your IQ is not likely to catch up to your age.
Elementary school playground talk there brother … don’t ya have anything better than that?
Yes I do, and wjtinfwb said it below.
I worked my rail off to protect jobs, families, and communities. But now UAW greed is putting it at risk. If the job is so bad, why aren’t UAW members leaving for other careers?
Let me try to open your mind. Can you agree that monopolies are bad things? Monopolies tend to provide over-priced goods and services. Right?
Well, we use the term “monopoly” for the output of a business. But what about a monopoly the supplies parts or services to a business? Bad too. Well a union is monopoly of an input to a business… called a monopsony. Still bad in the era of federal labor laws and social media.
Unions missed the boat. They should have reformed to being skill trade groups that focus on improving the skills and efficiencies of their members… not protecting drug heads and chronic absenteeism.
If you fail to understand the above, then your IQ may not exceed your shoe size.
I worked my tail off… (sorry for the typo).
Mr UAW… your raise came in the form of profit sharing.
I don’t work at Ford or the other 2. I have simply worked at the same non union job for the past 40 years, but own Ford stock. When I started I made $13.64/hr. Today I make just over $30/hr. CPI inflation calculator shows I should be making $39+ just to keep up with inflation on my 1st hourly wage. Our profit sharing ended in the 90’s along with a discounted stock program and any performance bonuses. The pension was stopped in 2003 and replaced … then that was also halted 2 years ago and replaced with a 2% higher paying 401k.
These corporation have no interest in paying anyone more money unless it benefits themselves directly. They have degraded the value of the workforce to the point there’s a revolving door of new employees. They then get insufficient training, an attitude and reduced productivity … it all snowballs and no one can seem to figure it out in upper management. The stockholders hold the management accountable, but in reality its all just a big shell game and who’s better at it.
I’d like to see the workers get the money back that they gave away after the 2008 FC just as a starting point. Let the negotiations start from there.
As for Bob, yes, he is an idiot.
Collective bargaining is nothing more than holding a company or companies hostage. Period. Every worker in America, regardless of company, skill, education, race, etc. has their value determined by the free market. Every worker except a Union worker. The union gets to make a demand and threaten to shut the production down if the company does not acquiesce. Unions had a place, way before worker protection laws and on-demand video by everyone with a iPhone became the tool for grievance publication. Ford, GM and Stellantis are all working with UAW labor demands, something the plants of Honda, Toyota, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, etc. do not have to deal with. And the argument about stock buybacks and CEO pay is ludicrous. CEO’s get paid to increase the value of a company and the shareholders value. That’s all. Labor relations, public perceptions, etc. mean nothing to the company Board of Directors or shareholders. Look out UAW, you may get some concessions this time, but will later find out your plant is about to be shuttered in favor of a plant in Mexico, Texas, Alabama or elsewhere that can build a quality product at a favorable cost basis. Laugh if you want, people are leaving Michigan every day…
History lessons needed. Unions made the middle class. Non unionized workers are not in the middle class. Fair salaries can only grow the middle class back.
I’m not in a Union. I’m middle class, making just under 6 figures annual.
I word for FMC for 15 years. I don’t know which I despise more these days, Ford or the unions. There is much enjoyment in seeing them brawl each other.
Greed…Really. They gave up a lot especially colas and retirement so the automakers could survive and now want their due. While everyone in upper management is making well over what the average worker is. I hope give them back what they gave up and more.
I am from South Africa. Here the after sales service of Ford is very poor.
I bought a brand new Ranger in Oktober 22. In February 23 I determined that the chassis is bend I took it up with the dealership and CRC of Ford South Africa
Untill today I do not have a outcome that is satisfactory.
They can develop new vehicles but to who will they sell it if they have no customer service
How about the UAW stop line workers from napping, doing drugs and drinking on the line. Having seen cars show up at dealerships with missing bolts screws rolling and broken components you guys need to get your act together before anyone should give you anything. Talk about greedy union gangsters.
“Billions of dollars required for future investments.” Subtext- we need to blow more money on making products that there is no demand for. Pretty much all of the demand forecasts are based on states like CA banning ICE, not because people want a trash EV. Ford has to make sure that they are lighting enough money on fire to please Democrats when they go bankrupt from transitioning to high-margin high value vehicles right before a recession.
Interesting point no one has mentioned. Quality is at an all time low. Would the UAW agree to pay for the recalls out of their pocket? Seems fair, but I doubt they’d agree to hold any responsibility for substandard work, it’s only about focusing on, as Fain repeats, “billionaires” cheating them. I’d love to be Warren Buffet, but I’m not. I couldn’t fill his shoes any more than Fain could run one of these companies. He’d rather exaggerate lies, then cry poor. How about all of the money union management stole from these members over the years? They don’t want to admit that, but it’s a legal fact. They deserve to be treated fairly, but their leader isn’t asking for that. Get real and you’ll have my support.