Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) President and CEO Jim Farley said this morning, “We are pleased the agreement has been ratified and we are very happy for our more than 57,000 UAW-represented employees and their families.” (AutoInformed: Bill Ford Asks UAW to Choose His View of the Right Path; Ford Reaches UAW Contract Agreement If Members Vote Yes) UAW members are also on the verge of ratifying the new contract at Stellantis where voting is running 70% in favor as of this morning. (UAW has Tentative Agreement With Stellantis)
Ford Motor is refreshing or introducing new versions of about half its US sales volume in 2024. Critical launches include a new Ranger and Ranger Raptor; the new F-150 and F-150 Raptor; a new Expedition and Explorer, as well as a Lincoln Navigator and new Lincoln Aviator.
“Thankfully, we are on track to reach full production schedules in the coming days at our assembly plants in Michigan, Kentucky and Illinois that were affected during the strike. I’m excited to personally get out to as many of our plants and operations as possible in the coming weeks and months to spend time with our teams who build our vehicles,” Farley said.
“It’s also imperative that we continue to attack cost and waste throughout our operations. The reality is that this labor agreement added significant cost, and we are going to have to work very hard on productivity and efficiency to become more competitive,” said Farley.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
UAW Local 862 Reaches Tentative Local Agreement at Ford Kentucky Truck Plant
21 February 2024 – After months of negotiations over local issues, UAW Local 862 has reached a tentative local agreement with Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), averting a potential strike this week.
Workers at Ford’s most profitable plant were set to walk off the job over local issues related to skilled trades, health & safety, and ergonomics. The tentative deal addresses these and other core issues of concern to KTP autoworkers.
There are dozens of remaining open local agreements across the Big Three automakers, while the national contracts were ratified this fall after the union’s Stand Up Strike secured record contracts.