The United Auto Workers has reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Co. after 40 days of striking Detroit’s Big 3 automakers, the union announced Wednesday night. UAW remains on strike against Stellantis NV and General Motors Co.
“This agreement sets us on a new path to make things right at Ford, at the Big 3 and across the auto industry. Together, we are turning the tide for the working class in this country,” said UAW President Shawn Fain in a video posted online.
The union says it will now hold informational meetings and online briefings for its members at Ford before those workers vote on approval of the agreement. Fain and Vice President Chuck Browning asked UAW members at Ford to return to work while the tentative agreement enters the ratification process.
“We’re going back to work at Ford to keep the pressure on Stellantis and GM. The last thing they want is for Ford to get back to full capacity while they mess around and lag behind,” said Browning.
As described by the union, the Ford agreement includes 25% base wage increases through April 2028, cumulatively raises the top wage by over 30% to more than $40 an hour, raises the starting wage by 68% to over $28 an hour, sees a raise of more than 150% for Ford’s lowest-paid workers over the life of the agreement and reinstates Cost of Living Allowances (COLA). It also includes the right to strike over plant closures.
“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with the UAW covering our U.S. operations,” said Ford CEO and President Jim Farley in a statement.
The UAW strike continues to grow for Stellantis and GM, and has recently struck some of their largest manufacturing facilities. On Tuesday morning, 5,000 UAW members walked out of GM’s Arlington Assembly, where the automaker produces the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. A day prior, 6,800 members walked out of Stellantis’ Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, where Ram 1500 trucks are produced.
These moves brought the total number of striking members to 45,000. With the Ford agreement announcement, 16,600 of those workers will be returning to work at Ford facilities.
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