Ford Motor Executive Chair Bill Ford called for an end to the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike after more negotiations.
In his first public statement since negotiations began over the summer, Ford warned that a continuing strike could hurt the company’s ability to keep factory jobs in the U.S.
“We are at a crossroads,” Ford said during a speech at the company’s historic Rouge Factory complex, near its headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. “Choosing the right path is not just about Ford’s future and our ability to compete. This is about the future of the American automobile industry.”
As Ford is calling for an end to the UAW strike, they’re expanding it. Last week, the UAW expanded the strike to Louisville, KY to include Ford’s 8,700 employee truck factory. It is one of the largest factories in the U.S. and among Ford’s most profitable.
In Detroit, the UAW is striking all three major automakers—Ford, General Motors and Chrysler-parent Stellantis—for the first time in its 88-year history.
In Ford’s speech, he said the union’s contract demands could hurt the automaker’s ability to invest in U.S. manufacturing. “If we lose it, we will lose to the competition,” he said. “America loses. Many jobs will be lost. So will future investments. We will lose factories.”
After Ford’s comments, UAW President Shawn Fain threatened to walk out at the Rouge, where Ford produces its F-150 truck, if the company does not improve its offer. “It’s not the UAW and Ford against foreign automakers,” the union president said. “It’s autoworkers everywhere against corporate greed.”
This is the first nationwide UAW strike at Ford since 1976, and JP Morgan analysts estimate the strike has cost the automaker $517 million.
To hear Tony Katz’s thoughts on the stalemate between the UAW and automakers, click the link below.
