Ford workers narrowly approved a new four-year contract, wrapping up five months of negotiations between the United Auto Workers union and Detroit automakers.
The UAW said late Friday that Ford’s contract passed with a 51.4-percent vote. The agreement covers 53,000 U.S. hourly workers at 22 plants.
Some workers said the union didn’t push hard enough to win back things they lost in previous agreements, including annual wage increases. They also wanted a two-tier wage system eliminated immediately instead of over eight years, as the contract promises.
But union leaders warned that they might not get a better deal from Ford if workers rejected the agreement and sent them back to the bargaining table.
The contract raises wages for all workers and gradually eliminates the two-tier system, which currently pays newer workers less than veteran ones. It promises bonuses of up to $10,250 per worker this year and annual profit-sharing checks and other bonuses each year after that.
The contract also guarantees $9 billion in investments at Ford’s U.S. plants over four years.
Ford said it was pleased with the vote.
Ford was the last of the Detroit automakers to win approval for its contract. Fiat Chrysler workers approved their contract in October. General Motors’ contract was approved earlier Friday after extended negotiations with skilled trades workers like electricians, who had initially rejected it. The contracts cover around 142,000 workers in all.
Source: AP
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