Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) said in Dearborn today that it is the No. 1 US automaker on the basis of vehicles assembled1, hourly autoworkers employed in America and vehicles exported from America to other countries3, according to 2022 data from S&P Global Mobility. Overall, nearly 80% of the vehicles Ford sells in the US are assembled in the US.2 The export number of 260,000, and perhaps others, could be subject to discussion and nuance. For almost a decade BMW Manufacturing, Spartanburg, has led the US-made exported category. The latest data released in February show BMW led the nation in automotive exports by value, according to the US Department of Commerce. The South Carolina plant exported 227,029 BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes during 2022 with an export value of ~$9.6 billion. (autoinformed.com on:BMW Manufacturing is Largest US Automotive Exporter)
“Ford has bet on American workers, including the UAW, more than any other automaker. This commitment combined with great product and innovation, has earned us the loyalty of customers and returned Ford to America’s best-selling brand so far this year. We could make different decisions, as many others have done to reduce costs, but Ford is different. We will find ways to be lean and competitive while investing in our home market,” claimed Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. This is, of course, a UAW contract negotiation year starting this summer with many recent Ford jobs going to Southern states hostile to unions.
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EPA Wants More Health Protection for Commercial Sterilization
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today is proposing new health protections to reduce exposure to Ethylene Oxide (EtO)*. These include more stringent air emissions standards and additional protections for workers who are exposed to the gas used to sterilize medical devices and some spices. The proposal is part of President Biden’s commitment to ending cancer as we know – the so-called Cancer Moonshot. It also reaffirms the Administration’s desire for environmental justice and protecting public health, including for communities that are most exposed to toxic chemicals.
“EPA’s number one priority is protecting people’s health and safety, and we are committed to taking decisive action that’s informed by the best available science,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These proposals build on EPA’s extensive outreach to communities across the nation and reflect close coordination among key federal partners. Together they would significantly reduce worker and community exposure to harmful levels of ethylene oxide. EPA will continue to use every available tool to safeguard our nation’s communities, including workers, from exposure to toxic chemicals and to deliver important public health protections,” Regan said. Continue reading →