Ford and the Canadian union Unifor reached a new deal a few years ago, which led to an announcement 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 this month. 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 now been delayed until 2027, though it seemed as if Unifor didn’t receive that particular memo ahead of time, nor is it very happy about this change.
As part of this announcement earlier today, Ford stated that “the company will work with Unifor to mitigate the impact the launch delay will have on its workforce at Oakville.” “We value our Canadian teammates and appreciate that this delay will have an impact on this excellent team,” Ford CEO Farley added. “We are fully committed to manufacturing in Canada and believe this decision will help us build a profitably growing business for the long term.”
“Unifor is extremely disappointed by the company’s decision. Our members have done nothing but build best-in-class vehicles for Ford Motor Company and they deserve certainty in the company’s future production plans,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “I want to be very clear here. Our members can be assured that we will push the company to explore every single possible opportunity to lessen the impact of this decision on them and their families.” According to the union, Unifor was informed of this revised timeline during a meeting with Ford executives earlier this week.
“In 2023 contract negotiations with Ford, Unifor negotiated innovative income and benefit transition supports, covering members at the Oakville plant for what was originally forecasted to be an eight-month retooling period. Negotiations included a provision that should the retooling period extend beyond eight months the company and the union will meet to discuss extending this arrangement,” Unifor added. “Given the magnitude of the delay Unifor has requested a meeting with Ford to be held as soon as possible to discuss job and income security measures for workers.”
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Comments
And when it reopens (and of Blue Oval City opens) the employment numbers will be nowhere near what was promised. They wasted a ton of money on Blue Oval City when they had all the capacity they needed. Farley (and Barra for that matter) should do a Mea Culpa and admit they was were wrong. But instead they continue to dump money down the EV black hole hoping that they are right while billions are wasted, their market share is eroding, and their ICE lineup is getting thinner and thinner.
Absolutely. Any North American plant shifting to EV’s is just living on borrowed time. Only way domestic manufacturers can profitably build EV’s is to do it in China.
I believe Blue Oval City will give Ford another crucial manufacturing site outside of Michigan and it’s rescinded Right to Work law that forces union membership. Farley was obviously pissed at the UAW tactics last summer and seemingly wants to have more options, including Mexico and China to build cars competitively. Tennessee (and adjacent Kentucky) are Right to Work states where Union membership cannot be compelled. Tennessee may be the outlet of flexibility Ford wants for future UAW dustups.
Right to work did not matter in this case because Blue Oval City has already recognized the UAW as the official bargaining representative. And during last fall’s contract talks, Kentucky Truck and Arlington Assembly were struck and those were in RTW states, and Ford is building a new plant in Michigan for batteries.
Right to work for less
Just keep producing the Edge for another year. It’s the only vehicle selling!
Might as well if they got nothing to make
Put it back the way it was. Forget the BPEV nonsense and build cars the public actually wants to drive.
Unifor has some very good economists working for them and I’m sure that they could have warned the executive about what is happening with EVs. Too much WAY too soon.
Nobody wants to buy into this absolute FRAUD!!! The ELITISTS electric car fantasies are going up in a SHOWER OF FIRE, just like these EVs’ do when they burn!!!
Keep building the Edge and watch them sell! When and/or if Explorer arrives make it a hybrid
Sounds to me like Unifor has a GEN-BANK type deal like the UAW got in the last contract by Ford paying these workers while they are not working.Everyone remembers the GEN-BANK don’t they? That’s where the UAW had it in their contracts that the Big 3 would pay a worker a full 40 hour per week paycheck at their full hourly rate whether the company made them work or not.Forever!People were in it for years and years.One guy at the plant I worked at was in it for 9-10 years.And he didn’t have to work during that time as he was an electrician and the company couldn’t force him to work in another “classification” until a spot eventually opened back up within his original classification.So he just collected a free paycheck.Week after week.Year after year.Until some other worker eventually died.The UAW gave up the GEN-BANK as part of the bailout and specifically because of the bad publicity it generated back in 2009 when the Big 3 went hat in hand to Washington looking for a bailout.GEN stands for Guaranteed Employment Numbers.Shawn Fain got a program similar to the GEN-BANK from the Big 3 in the recently passed UAW contract.But supposedly people are limited to be in it for “only 2 years”.So with programs like this,why do people even need to buy Fords or Chevys or any Big 3 products?You decide as the people will get paid anyways!
Blame Trudeau
Forcing battery plants EV production.
This government proves over and over its out if touch with Canadians..