Ford Kentucky Truck Workers Vote NO on UAW Contract

After back-and-forth and numerous strikes, Ford’s Kentucky Truck plant continued the fight following its rejection of the UAW contract.

It’s safe to say that this has been a very divisive year for the Big Three, and it’s only getting worse for Ford. Just in October, approximately 9,000 Kentucky Truck plant employees went on strike following in the footsteps of fellow workers in Detroit. The main cause: employees’ perception of Ford failing to deliver a fair contract. According to WDRB News, UAW President Shawn Fain met with Ford executives, and they failed to come to an agreement. Following this, according to WDRB, “Fain said something to the effect of, ‘Well, you’ve just lost Kentucky truck plant…’ an hour later, workers in Louisville were walking off the job.”

Fast forward to November, and Ford temporarily laid off 1600 workers through the month. Tensions rose and negotiations continued through to this day, with UAW laborers voting against a proposed contract by Ford. A total of 55% of production and line workers voted against, whereas 69% of skilled laborers voted in favor. The union did not disclose the amount of votes. Though it came to a total of 52% against, across all UAW Local 862.

What this Means for Ford (and the Big Three)

Workers who voted against had various statements, generally focusing on a lack of benefits and unfair pay. Some say that the pay rise would only equal what the pay was before, and the lack of retirement benefits ended it on a sour note. Some interviews stated that employees preferred a more traditional pension system over what was proposed. And that the contract favors newcomers to the detriment of long-term workers and retirees.

Whether or not the contract receives amendments is yet to be seen. But the damage this year’s been done to Stellantis, GM, and Ford. For over 40 days, employees effectively shut down a plant raking in $25 billion per year in profit. Which, no matter how you look at it, represents a major accomplishment for UAW’s long-term objectives.

We leave it up to you to decide whether the changes we’re seeing are for better or worse. That said, this is yet another brick in an ever-expanding wall following strikes, layoffs, and labor disputes across the entire American automotive industry. And it’s likely to get worse before it gets any better. Workers at Dearborn’s plant have yet to weigh in, though opinions are likely to be just as divisive. On the one hand, Kentucky Truck employees who voted no feel that accepting these terms means capitulation. And interviews with workers who vote yes say that it’s unlikely they’ll get better terms from Ford. In either case, this long-standing dispute accomplishes two goals. It improves the welfare of the workers on the line, according to the majority vote. And these actions help strengthen their voice within the executive circle.

Images: Ford Motor Company

M.C. Cuccio

I've been an automotive aficionado since I had baby teeth. My path was set when I first leaned on my grandfather's classic Porsche as I learned how to walk. One of my first memories was my mother sitting me behind the wheel of her Pontiac and talking me through the instrumentation and controls. Even though I was a mere three or four years old, I was instantly sold, and filled notebooks with technical drawings, sketches, and collections of manuals of all sorts of cars. I've actively tracked developments in automotive and motorsport technology for well over 20 years, and pride myself on being intimately familiar with the functions and history of a wide range of vehicles.

My primary goal as a writer and enthusiast is to equally learn and share what I've learned in a constructive and interesting way. I maintain connections with people from around the world and can read technical manuals in Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, granting me access to a wide array of resources. My primary focuses are deep-dives into historical topics, motorsport discussion, and learning about the complex mechanical elements of such vehicles. As such, my research is never perfect; as anyone into cars will attest, the more you learn about cars, the more you realize how little you actually know. Therefore, I always welcome fresh knowledge and corrections to help me better my work in the future.