Unifor Kept In Dark After Ford EV Production Delay Reports

Following a new agreement between Ford and Canadian union Unifor that was reached a few years ago, the automaker announced that the Oakville Assembly plant would be retooled with the expectation that the production of new electric vehicles would begin there in 2025. Since then, production of the Lincoln Nautilus has already ended at Oakville and shifted to China for the redesigned 2024 model, while production of its mass market counterpart – the Ford Edge – is currently scheduled to end in late April. Both of those models are slated to be replaced by all-electric versions of the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, but there’s just one problem – the Explorer EV for North America has reportedly been delayed, though it seems as if Unifor hasn’t received that particular memo.

“There has been no official communication from the Ford Motor Company to the Oakville workforce regarding any changes to the start of the re-tool.  However, like many of our members the Union Leadership have seen the reports from various news outlets that Ford is delaying the EV production plans slated for Oakville,” Marc Brennan, Ford Council Vice Chairperson, OAC Plant Chairperson, Unifor Local 707″ said in a statement.

“Your Union Leadership is taking these reports seriously and have been seeking clarification from the Company to which we do not yet have answers. Our members deserve better communication regarding their future.  The transition from ICE to BEV at the Oakville site has been in process for almost four years. Now, with less than six weeks from the re-tool, the lack of communication is extremely concerning. We will continue to push the Company to provide updates so that our members can plan accordingly.”

According to Automotive News Canada, Unifor reportedly hasn’t received any updates on this planed retooling since November 2023. A Ford Canada spokesperson didn’t elaborate on the subject either, saying that the company “does not comment on speculation.” FoMoCo and Unifor just reached an agreement on a new master contract late last year.

Reports regarding the three-row Explorer EV’s delay originally surfaced earlier this week, and were part of a broader report revolving around Ford’s strategy shift that will now focus on low-cost all-electric vehicles rather than pricier models. The first cheap Ford EV is slated to be a crossover with a $25k price tag that is expected to launch in late 2026, and it will also reportedly be built at the Louisville Assembly plant.

We’ll have more on this as soon as it’s available, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.