Ford Thoughts on the UAW Strike at Kentucky Truck Plant

Ford Motor executives tonight presented their version of the latest developments in the 2023 UAW contract negotiations with a notable and commendable change in tone from the initial Ford response last night that led with “The decision by the UAW to call a strike at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant is grossly irresponsible but unsurprising given the union leadership’s stated strategy of keeping the Detroit 3 wounded for months through “reputational damage” and “industrial chaos.” (AutoInformed: No Surprise as UAW Strikes at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant)

Let’s hope this leads to a mutually agreeable deal that both sides can endorse and thrive on together in solidarity, so to speak. Kumar Galhotra, president of the internal combustion Ford Blue operation, said that the Ford had stretched  to include a +20% pay raise over four years and other benefit increases. He also said that Ford is open to moving money around within the categories of the offer to help meet UAW requests, but that at the moment the total amount of money on the table is final.

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Ford Motor Points

• Super Duty is the work truck of choice for top industries. And this strike hurts their ability to get the trucks they need for employees.
• 8700 workers are now earning strike pay instead of full pay and this will hurt their  truck plant Wilder profit sharing.
• More than  600 suppliers serve Kentucky truck plant. They will have to lay off workers.
• For Ford dealers Super Duty. is more than 10% of their sales. Navigator is more than 20% of sales for Lincoln dealers. This immediately impacts their customers, who range from small to large business owners because they rely on the Super duty for their livelihood. For all the jobs that exist. Because of Kentucky truck we’re talking over well over 100,000 families potentially feeling the impact.
• For the Economy Ford employs more than 2000 people in Kentucky and supports a state GDP contribution of nearly $12 billion. That’s a good thing.
• Being profitable benefits everyone associated with Ford. Kentucky truck plant sustains jobs and factories that aren’t as profitable. It’s part of how we maintain the full portfolio vehicles for our customers.
• It’s also part of how we fund our EV investments and the modernization of our company.
• If Kentucky truck plant were a standalone business, that revenue would be more than Southwest Airlines; More than Marriott international; more than Nordstrom. Much of that is driven by Super Duty.
• We’re talking about America’s best-selling truck for 46 straight years, and best-selling vehicle since 1981. All of our full-size trucks are assembled in America with UW labor, which is unique to us.