UAW reaches tentative deal with Ford amid 6-week-old strike

A breakthrough in the nearly 6-week-old strike by auto workers against the Detroit Big Three automakers — Ford, GM, and Stellantis. The United Auto Workers union said on Wednesday, Oct. 25, that it reached a tentative deal with Ford.

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The union called on Ford workers to head back to work, though the deal still has to be voted on by 57,000 union members. 

According to the UAW, Ford workers will receive a 25% increase in wages along with a cost-of-living raise, which puts the pay increase over 30%. This is a jump from the start of bargaining when Ford offered 9% wage increases.

The union added that this deal helps in putting pressure on the other two automakers to reach a settlement. During past UAW strikes, when one deal has been made, others followed.

The UAW strike began on Sept. 15 targeting three assembly plants in Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio. Since then, the strike has grown to encompass eight assembly plants and 38 parts and distribution centers in 22 states.

On Oct. 11, the UAW expanded the strike to include Ford’s most profitable truck plant located in Louisville, Kentucky. That day, 8,700 workers walked off the job.

With a tentative deal to be voted on, 20,000 Ford employees will go back to work, according to a brief statement by Ford.

“Ford is proud to assemble the most vehicles in America and employ the most hourly autoworkers,” the statement read. “We are focused on restarting Kentucky Truck Plant, Michigan Assembly Plant, and Chicago Assembly Plant, calling 20,000 Ford employees back to work and shipping our full lineup to our customers again.”

Meanwhile, according to the UAW, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 5,000 autoworkers walked out at General Motors’ Arlington, Texas, assembly plant, shutting down operations at GM’s largest and most profitable plant. That brings the number of GM-employed autoworkers on strike to 45,000.