The United Auto Workers (UAW) threatened to strike at a Ford Motor Company F plant in Kentucky if union demands aren't resolved within the next seven days.
What Happened: The Detroit union on Friday confirmed that nearly 9,000 UAW autoworkers at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant — the company’s largest in terms of employment and revenue — are planning a strike.
The core issues local negotiators are addressing include health and safety issues. The union is calling for “minimum in-plant nurse staffing levels and ergonomic issues” and hoping to offset what they call “Ford's continued attempts to erode the skilled trades at Kentucky Truck Plant.”
See Also: Ford CEO Hints At Non-US Factories In The Future – Company Will ‘Think Carefully’ After UAW Strike
The factory produces Ford Super Duty pickups as well as Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.
Why It Matters: The looming strike underscores the contentious relationship between the Detroit automaker and the UAW, which was most recently articulated by Ford CEO Jim Farley at the Wolfe Research Global Auto Conference in New York.
According to the Associated Press, Farley made clear to those in attendance how upset he was over the UAW strike that was resolved late last year.
"Our reliance on the UAW turned out to be we were the first truck plant to be shut down," Farley said. "Really our relationship has changed. It’s been a watershed moment for the company. Does this have business impact? Yes.”
As a result, Farley said the company will “have to think carefully about our (manufacturing) footprint."
When the strike ended, Ford confirmed that it was laying off around 1,600 employees at its Louisville Assembly Plant.
The layoffs were a result of parts-related issues and continued throughout November. The plant, which employs 3,483 workers, is responsible for the production of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair.
See Also: Ford Acquires EV Power Startup To Enhance Its Charging Tech
The layoffs impacted the second shift of production during the week of Nov. 6, and the third shift of production in the week of Nov. 13. The weeks of Nov. 20 and Nov. 27 will see all production shifts and the entire production line on layoff, respectively.
In late October, Ford proposed a two-week unpaid personal leave to several UAW members at the Louisville Assembly. The two parties reached a tentative agreement on Oct. 25, ending the UAW strike against Ford.
What’s Next: UAW Vice President Chuck Browning has requested authorization from UAW President Shawn Fain to set a strike deadline at the Kentucky Truck Plant for 12:01 a.m., Friday, Feb. 23.
F Price Action: Ford’s shares closed Friday down 1.76% at $12.30.
Read Next: Ford Pauses $12B Electric Vehicle Investment Amid High Costs
A portion of this content was published earlier and was partially produced with the help of AI tools. It was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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