Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers speaks at the UAW conference in Washington, D.C. in January. UAW Local 862 on Friday revealed its intent to leave at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant if particular agreement concerns such as plant security are not dealt with by next week. Picture by Ting Shen/UPI| License Photo
Feb. 17 (UPI)– The United Auto Workers are threatening strike at Ford’s biggest and most lucrative plant next week after 5 months of stalled settlements.
The UAW on Friday released a declaration that 9,000 UAW Local 862 members might strike on Feb. 23 at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant if regional agreement concerns are not solved.
The core problems on the table are “health and wellness in the plant, consisting of minimum in-plant nurse staffing levels and ergonomic concerns, along with Ford’s continued efforts to deteriorate the competent trades at Kentucky Truck Plant,” the declaration checked out.
According to the UAW, Ford Motor Business stopped working to reach an arrangement with UAW Local 862 more than 5 months past the agreement due date.
Regional agreements vary from UAW nationwide agreements and concentrate on plant-specific concerns at each center, according to the union.
The UAW in 2023 validated nationwide agreements in 2023 with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler moms and dad Stellantis.
There are 19 other open regional contracts with Ford, consisting of at the Kentucky Truck Plant.
The Kentucky plant produces Ford Super Duty pickups, Ford Expedition full-sized SuVs and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.
Ford informed CNBC it looks “forward to reaching a contract with UAW Local 862 at Kentucky Truck Plant.”
The strike due date comes a day after UAW President Shawn Fain slammed Ford CEO Jim Farley for recommending the business might alter its footprint in action to altering market conditions and tense settlements that led to 6 weeks of strikes in 2023.
The Kentucky plant was the very first plant to close down throughout those targeted strikes.
Farley at Wolfe Research financier conference Thursday stated “plainly our relationship has actually altered” concerning the strikes.
“As we take a look at this EV shift and [internal combustion engine] lasting longer and our truck organization being more rewarding, we need to believe thoroughly about our footprint,” he stated.
Fain, a traditionally combative union leader, reacted by recommending Ford needs to depose Farley and discover a CEO who is devoted to American employees.
“Maybe Ford does not require to move factories to discover the most affordable labor in the world,” he stated. “Maybe it requires to recommit to American employees and discover a CEO who’s interested in the future of this nation’s vehicle market.”
Regional 862 President Todd Dunn informed the Detroit News Farley’s remark “does not have any bearing” on the union’s intent to strike, and employees threatening to walkout “has actually taken place before.”
“It’s a quirk, or rarity,” he stated. “I’ve never ever seen or experienced a regional agreement strike. My task as president is to assist in and carry out that strategy if required. [Last year] we saw what we had the ability to do, and the utilize we had.”
Ford reported a $4.3 billion earnings on $176.2 billion in income in 2023. The business has stated the Kentucky plant produces about $25 billion a year. The UAW strike in 2015 cost the business $1.7 billion in revenue.