Ford workers approve UAW contract after late push by union leaders

The Motor City -- A last ditch drive by UAW leaders to drum up support to get a suggested contract with Ford Motor Co. gathered only enough votes to defeat widespread resistance and animosity among employees as the business produces record gains.
The union now has new four-year contracts in place with all three Detroit auto makers.
The UAW stated late Friday that 51.4% of Ford employees voted in support of the offer -- a margin around 1,100 votes out of over 40,000 cast. Powerful support at UAW Local 600, which represents workers at several big plants in Dearborn, Mich., turned the tide after the offer seemed destined for defeat.
"Our UAW members have ratified the nationwide arrangement following an extended procedure and much discussion," UAW President Dennis Williams stated in a statement. "The voice of the bulk has procured a solid future which will provide job protection and financial stability for themselves as well as their households."
UAW officers spent the last days of voting encouraging Local 600 employees to vote "yes," warning that the rejection wouldn't lead to an improved contract and will instead direct to Ford pulling back on strategies to commit $9 billion in its U.S. production operations.
Production employees accepted the offer by a 51.3% allowance, while 52.4% of voting skilled trades employees gave their okay, the union stated.
A few of the plants where resistance was most powerful, including Louisville Construction, Kentucky Truck and Chicago Assembly, were assured more careers and investments of at least $600 million. As of Wednesday, the offer was a failure with a margin of 52% to 4-8%.
$8,500 signing bonus
The offer gives Ford's 53,000 hourly employees a signing bonus of $8,500, plus a $1,500 loan on next year's profit sharing pay-out, which is anticipated to be over $6,600.
Experienced workers will get 3% raises this year as well as in 2017 -- their first in 10 years -- plus 4% lump sum bonuses in 2016 and 2018. The offer places workers employed since 2007 on a road to to total wages within eight years, a span that several complained was overly long.
"We're happy," John Fleming, Ford's executive vice-president for worldwide manufacturing and labour issues, stated in a statement. "This deal gives an excellent basis for Ford, our workers as well as our communities as we come together to make an even more powerful company in the years ahead."
The slim acceptance prevents a possibly controversial and uncomfortable position for the UAW's direction, which also had problem getting offers ratified with Fiat-Chrysler and GM.
"There's no greater power as opposed to membership," UAW vice-president Jimmy Settles, the union's lead negotiator with Ford, stated in a statement. "Through a rational and democratic procedure UAW-Ford members have provided occupation protection and powerful economical increases for his or her households and communities."
FCA employees rejected the first provisional arrangement reached with that firm, before approving a offer that went farther toward removing the 2-grade wage scale. Acceptance of a deal with General Motors Corporation was delayed after skilled trades workers voted it down, but the UAW declared it ratified early in the day Friday.
Some Ford employees pointed to the final result at FCA as proof that voting "no" would make a much better deal for themselves as properly. But UAW leaders insisted that was not precise.
"If we believed there was still another dollar on the table, we would've gotten it the very first time," nearby 600 President Bernie Ricke said in a press meeting Wednesday to counter the resistance.
Kristin Dziczek, manager of the labour and business group in the Center for Automotive Research, stated the total price of both FCA deals was almost indistinguishable, but the 2nd arrangement gave employees less job protection in trade for allowing Tier-2 employees ultimately bring in more cash.

It's possible for you to reach Nick Bunkley at [email protected]. -- Follow Nick on

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19.11.2015
ID:3285

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