The United Auto Staff (UAW) unexpectedly expanded its strike towards Ford on Wednesday night when 8,700 union members walked out of the automaker’s Kentucky Truck Plant.
The transfer represented a extreme escalation of a strike that started on Sept. 15 and is now in its fourth week.
That’s as a result of pickups and SUVs are among the many most worthwhile and best-selling autos made by the “Massive Three” automakers.
Kentucky Truck, positioned in Louisville, Ky., makes the F-250 to F-550 Tremendous Obligation Vans in addition to the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs, in line with Ford’s web site.
UAW: Ford “Refused” Progress in Contract Talks
UAW President Shawn Fain and Vice President Chuck Browning referred to as on staff to strike “straight after Ford refused to make progress in bargaining,” the union stated in a Fb publish.
Union members then walked off the job at Kentucky Truck at 6:30 p.m. ET. The UAW famous that the plant was “iconic and very worthwhile.”
“We’ve got been crystal clear, and we’ve got waited lengthy sufficient. However Ford has not gotten the message,” Fain stated.
Ford Warns of Penalties
Kentucky Truck generates $25 billion a 12 months in income. It isn’t solely one of many largest factories within the US but in addition one of many largest on this planet, Ford stated.
Ford stated its newest supply to the UAW was “excellent” and that the union’s transfer was “grossly irresponsible.” The corporate additionally famous that its 57,000 UAW-represented staff had been already “among the many best-compensated hourly manufacturing staff anyplace on this planet.”
The strike at Kentucky Truck could have “severe penalties,” Ford warned. It stated the work stoppage put a dozen different Ford crops “in danger” in addition to 100,000 jobs as soon as oblique employment at suppliers was taken into consideration.
Convey the Hammer Down
The transfer got here as a shock as a result of the union has, prior to now, introduced new strikes on Fridays. It was additionally sudden as a result of the UAW final Friday determined to not broaden its strike, citing progress in contract talks.
However Fain on Friday additionally stated that some union members had needed to “deliver the hammer down” on truck crops.
“There’s a time and place for that. And consider me: if the Massive Three don’t proceed to make progress, then that point will likely be coming quickly,” he stated then.
