UAW members ratify the Ford contract

FOX 2 – United Auto Workers Ford Motor Co. members ratified the collective bargaining agreement from 2019 by 56.3 percent, the UAW announced this evening.

"Every Ford employee and temporary employee will be at the peak of full-time status at the end of this four-year deal," said UAW President Rory Gamble, director of the UAW Ford Department. “This is a life-changing contract for many and provides a template for all future Ford UAW members to a full-time, top-level status. There will be no more permanent temporary situations and no more permanent levels. ”

The ratified contract includes a $ 9,000 financial package per full-time member signing bonus, performance bonuses, two 3% annual increases and two 4% lump sum payments and holds the line for healthcare.

"I want to thank the Ford National Negotiating team and the many UAW staff and members who stood together and made a strong contract for both today's and future members," Gamble said. "Ford's commitment to job security and assembly in the United States is a model for American manufacturers." Ford Motor Company has more UAW members than any other automaker in the United States

UAW will continue to muster negotiations with the FCA on Monday. [19659002] The new Ford UAW agreement includes $ 6 billion in investment in Ford's US manufacturing facility and creates or secures 8,500 US hourly jobs under the four-year contract

Other highlights of a release include:

The agreement improves Ford's powertrain capacity utilization, while maintaining the company's best utilization of assembly facilities in North America

Hourly employees receive wage increases, bonuses, profit sharing and other benefits

United States labor cost increase in line with estimated US labor cost inflation; cost structure similar to domestic competitors

"We are pleased that we could quickly reach an agreement with UAW without a costly interruption in production," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford's President, Automotive. “This deal helps Ford strengthen our competitiveness and protect well-paid production jobs. In collaboration with UAW, we have added flexibility to operating while keeping labor costs in line with estimated US labor inflation costs and still rewarding our workers for their important contribution to the company. "

One release said that the terms of the new agreement give Ford opportunities to improve its production and operational suitability, including:

• Increased use of temporary staff
• Closes one power plant, improves utilization of powertrain production capacity, offers all workers jobs at a nearby facility
• retirement program that will improve workforce composition and lower labor costs
• No increase in pension obligations or payments to pensioners Ford's hourly workers also receive a number of benefits, including: $ 9,000 full-time ratification bonus and $ 3,500 for temporary employees [19659014] Guaranteed path to full-time permanent employment for temporary employees s
• Salary increases, bonuses and continued profit sharing, enabling employees to share in the company's success
• Opportunity for current in-progression and temporary employees to to achieve the highest rate of pay upon termination termination of employment

This agreement maintains Ford's labor cost structure similar to its domestic competitors