With the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis on the cusp of reaching the one month mark, the union has thus far walked out of several plants owned and operated by the Detroit Big Three automakers. On The Blue Oval side of the equation, that includes the Michigan Assembly plant, which builds the Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger, the Chicago Assembly plant, where it produces the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, and just last night, it added the Kentucky Truck plant to that list, which produces the Ford Super Duty, Ford Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator. As a result, FoMoCo has also laid off over 1,000 workers at various other facilities that support those plants, and that number continues to grow, as the automaker has laid off an additional 58 workers at the Sterling Axle plant.
“Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW’s targeted strike strategy will have knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage,” Ford said in a statement. “In this case, the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant has directly impacted some operations at Sterling Axle Plant. An additional 58 Sterling Axle Plant employees were asked not to report to work beginning October 11th, bringing Sterling Axle’s layoff total to 133. Those employees will be coded with the appropriate code beginning at their next reported shift and continuing until further notice. This is not a lock out. This layoff is a consequence of the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant, because Sterling Axle Plant must reduce its production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago Assembly Plant.”
After laying off 600 workers at the Michigan Assembly plant, the expanded strike at Chicago Assembly has thus far resulted in 243 layoffs at the Chicago Stamping plant, 184 at the Lima Engine plant in Ohio, as well as 391 at the Livonia Transmission plant, 133 at the Sterling Axle plant, and 372 at the Cleveland Engine plant – for a total of 1,920 total layoffs. However, it isn’t just Ford and its counterparts that are feeling the effects of the the UAW strike, as it’s also impacting around 30 percent of automotive suppliers as well.
In spite of the fact that UAW President Shawn Fain recently said that the union has made “significant” progress in contract talks, two major sticking points remain that have yet to be overcome – the union’s desire to restore the same retirement security that was previously provided by pre-2007 defined benefit pension plans, as well as including existing and future joint-venture EV battery plants in master contracts with automakers
We’ll have more on the UAW strike soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford-UAW news, UAW news, and comprehensive Ford news coverage.
Update: Ford spokesperson Daniel Barbossa reached out to clarify the number of employees laid off at each plant thus far, as some previously-reported numbers were incorrect.
Comments
Striking UAW should be responsible for everyone losing their income due to their strike.
That’s an interesting point whypac. I wonder how these UAW workers would react if their union had to reimburse all those that have been laid off due to the strike. A little back pay from the union coffers. I think that’s fair. I bet Shawn Fain would settle the strike really quick if that was the case.
I completely understand the need for organized labor. I was a chief negotiator for many years on a much smaller scale of course. As a consumer, I also feel that the auto makers are way too greedy with their MSRP prices. In my opinion, if real and honest talks are to occur, they must occur behind closed doors with nothing being said from either side until the process is complete. Then and only then do you give your membership their opportunity to vote for or against. Fain strikes me as seeing himself as a rock star, the savior of mankind! He comes off as being a rebellious type with a we want all attitude. He is stirring the pot among the workers, who do deserve more, but in a way that I see as counter productive. With the current political climate your strike seems inconsequential to the possibility of global war!!!!
I worked at Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, Oh during from 2008 – 2013 and Lorain Assembly Plant before that. When the recession hit in that timeframe the UAW Ford workers gave huge concessions to FoMoCo. We had one pay raise in four years which the UAW pushed the members to give up so Ford could offset retirees benefits. We lost our COLA benefit that kept us somewhat even with inflation. When striking no one wins! But when Ford wants to keep getting record profits and not compensate the workers that make those profits for the company something has to give. When terms of a new contract came to our floor, they would have a “High Lights” paper telling all the good stuff. I always told the Committee People to show me the “low lights”; how is this gonna mess me up. I always attempted to do all I could as a Ford worker to make Ford a profitable company. For I understood that when Ford was successful I would be successful. Is the UAW always correct, no way! But in like manner neither is Ford Motor Co.
How about fire everyone and go nonunion. People can’t afford a $100k truck because of Union pay.