Detroit, MI – In an unexpected move, the United Auto Workers (UAW) sent 8,700 workers at Ford Motor Co.’s most extensive and most profitable plant, the Kentucky Truck Plant, on strike. The UAW claimed that Ford had “refused to make further movement in bargaining,” leading to the strike.
The UAW ordered members of UAW Local 862 to walk off the job at 6:30 p.m., just one hour after a last-minute meeting between the union and Ford. The Kentucky Truck Plant is responsible for producing Ford’s Super Duty trucks, Ford Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator, generating approximately $25 billion in annual revenue, which accounts for about one-sixth of Ford’s yearly earnings.
This action marks the first time the UAW has expanded its ongoing simultaneous strike of all three Detroit automakers without publicly setting a deadline for a new walkout. The strike began on September 15, and the UAW had been announcing new work stoppages and providing companies with deadlines for progress at the bargaining table.
UAW President Shawn Fain stated, “We have been crystal clear, and we have waited long enough, but Ford has not gotten the message. It’s time for a fair contract at Ford and the rest of the Big Three. If they can’t understand that after four weeks, the 8,700 workers shutting down this extremely profitable plant will help them understand it.”
Ford responded to the strike, calling it “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.” Ford had also pointed to its latest offer to the union, characterized as a record deal.
The strike at the Kentucky Truck Plant adds to the 25,300 autoworkers already on strike at various Ford, GM, and Stellantis facilities across the country. The strike, which union leaders have said could expand at any time depending on progress at the bargaining table, has resulted in thousands of layoffs and an estimated $5.5 billion in economic losses.
The strike at Kentucky Truck Plant could impact operations at a dozen additional Ford facilities.
Recent negotiations between Ford and the UAW had primarily focused on the automaker’s planned battery plants. On Wednesday, the UAW requested a new economic offer from Ford. When Ford declined to present a new economic proposal, the UAW announced the strike expansion. The union had previously indicated its intention to keep the automakers off-guard with its “stand-up strike” strategy, targeting individual sites or groups of plants at a time instead of calling out all UAW members at a particular company at once.
Meanwhile, the joint venture between Ford and battery manufacturer SK On, known as BlueOval SK, is offering higher wages to prospective workers. The company is raising wages for maintenance technicians and associate maintenance technicians to be more competitive in the market.
The strike has had a significant impact on the auto industry and related suppliers, resulting in economic losses and layoffs. However, negotiations are ongoing, and there is potential for additional strikes and negotiations in the future.
