Ford Michigan Assembly Plant Workers Voting On UAW Deal

For The Blue Oval at least, the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike began at the Ford Michigan Assembly plant back in mid-September, after which it expanded to include the Chicago Assembly plant and Kentucky Assembly plant. Ford reached a tentative deal with the union just last week that includes a massive product investment from the automaker, which ended that strike, and a few days later, its Detroit Big Three counterparts – General Motors and Stellantis – followed suit. However, UAW members must still vote on the tentative deal before it’s approved, and that process has now begun at the Ford Michigan Assembly plant – where the strike began – according to Click on Detroit.

That voting process officially began at the Michigan plant today, which signals the beginning of the final step in the ratification process. Regardless, the 40,000 or so workers that have been on strike across all three automakers were asked to return to work immediately after the tentative deal was reached, while GM and Stellantis employees have yet to begin the voting process. If workers ultimately reject the deal, the strike will likely resume.

Thus far, the details of Ford’s tentative agreement with the UAW include a 25 percent general pay increase across the lifespan of the contract, as well as the aforementioned multi-billion dollar investment on Ford’s part into its current and future plants and products, plus various other concessions.

Additionally, the old eight-year wage progression has been reduced to three years, while those with three or more years of service will automatically be bumped up to top pay if the deal is ratified. Cost of living adjustments will also make a return after they went away back in 2009 during the recession, and temporary employees will become full-time after 90 days of service once/if the deal if ratified, with future temp hires hitting that point in nine months.

We’ll have more on this new agreement soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford-UAW news, UAW news, and 24/7 Ford news coverage.