Ford Chief Executive Bill Ford on Monday urged the United Auto Workers union to end a 32-day strike and reach a new labor agreement, warning of the strike’s growing impact on the automaker and the economy in general.
More than 34,000 unionized employees working at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, Chrysler’s parent company, are on strike. Ford laid off another 2,480 workers, citing the fallout from the strike. The UAW did not immediately comment on the company president’s comments.
The UAW strike at Kentucky Truck, Ford’s largest and most profitable assembly operation globally, “harms tens of thousands of American workers,” Bill Ford said. “If this continues, it will have a significant impact on the American economy.”
A 23% salary increase offer until early 2028
UAW President Shawn Fain on Friday accused Ford of trying to rig negotiations with inadequate offers, prompting Wednesday’s strike. Referring to Ford CEO Jim Farley’s lucrative pay package, Shawn Fain said one should “go after the big checkbook, the one Ford uses when it wants to spend millions on company executives or on gifts from Wall Street.”
On Thursday, a top Ford official said the automaker was “at the limit” of what it could spend to raise wages and benefits. Their latest offer includes a 23% pay increase until early 2028.
Source: BFM TV
