Major announcement will ‘cement’ Ford in Windsor
Union boss also says 280 workers on layoff can expect to be recalled
The Ford Motor Co. will make an announcement Thursday on the future of its Windsor operations that will secure the company’s presence long-term and eliminate the backlog of 280 employees still on layoff, according to Unifor Local 200 president Chris Taylor.
“The announcement is good news for Windsor,” Taylor said.
“They’re now cementing (Windsor) as an integral part of Ford and a pillar of their business. We still have 280 members on layoff. We fully expect to able to recall everyone on layoff and maybe a little more.”
Taylor wouldn’t discuss the product to be added to Ford’s Windsor Engine, Essex Engine and Windsor Annex plants. He also said he wasn’t sure what the total value of the investment Ford is making locally.
“I’d expect this program will be in place before the next round of bargaining in September 2020,” said Taylor, who also confirmed the company hasn’t given Unifor any indication it plans to wind down the production of the 6.8-litre engine that has been slated to be phased out for several years.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will join Ford executives in Windsor on Thursday for an announcement at the Essex Engine Plant.
Ford and the leaders’ offices wouldn’t divulge details ahead of the event, but Trudeau will be joined by Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains, and Wynne will be accompanied by Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Growth Brad Duguid. The offices of both leaders said they will be making announcements as well. Mayor Drew Dilkens is also attending.
Bains was in Windsor on Wednesday night for a meet-and-greet with area Liberal supporters at the Fogolar Furlan Club. He had spent the day in Michigan meeting with U.S. officials discussing how intertwined the auto industry is across the border, as well as the rest of the two countries’ economies.
He’s confident that message is also reaching U.S. leaders in Washington.
“There’s an understanding of the importance of how integrated the industry is,” Bains said.
“The largest cluster in the industry in North America is here in (Ontario, Michigan, Ohio). It’s the third largest cluster in the world.
“This is an advantage they want to strengthen.”
Ford announced on Tuesday a US$1.2-billion investment in three Michigan plants, on top of a previously announced US$700-million upgrade of its Flat Rock, Mich., facility.
Taylor admitted union officials were nervous that Ford’s investment pledge secured last fall during contract negotiations might fall victim to President Donald Trump’s pronouncements on auto companies investing in the U.S.
“We were concerned he might target Canada, too,” Taylor said. “We’re not concerned anymore.
“I think he fully understands now, after meeting the leadership of the Big Three in Detroit, how integrated the two countries are. I think he understands what this market means to Ford.
“The Canadian market is extremely important to Ford.”
While attending the Canadian International Auto Show last month in Toronto, Ford’s Canadian president Mark Buzzell told the Star that an announcement was coming “soon” on Ford’s commitment during the most recent contract talks with Unifor for a $600-million Windsor investment. Ford Motor Co.’s president of the Americas, Joe Hinrichs, will also be attending the Windsor event.
But there could also be a driverless vehicle investment component. Automotive News Canada, citing a spokeswoman for a public relations firm working for the province, reported Wednesday that there will also be an announcement in Windsor “related to autonomous vehicles.”
Organizers of the Windsor event remained tight-lipped Wednesday.
“I definitely recommend you attend,” a Ford spokeswoman told the Star.
Windsor already produces engines for Ford’s iconic Mustang and top-selling F-Series pickups. But Unifor was worried about the future of its Windsor Ford members when it made new local investment a priority in last year’s contract talks.
Taylor said there about 400 Unifor members working one shift at the Windsor Engine plant, 800 on three shifts at Essex Engine and close to 300 on three shifts at the Windsor Annex.
“Canada is very important to us. … Windsor is very important to us, absolutely,” Buzzell told the Star last month.
Asked whether the company expected the provincial and federal governments to come to the table with public support, Buzzell replied: “We have a really good relationship with the federal government and with the provincial government, and we share common goals.”
In an interview with the Star last month, Bains said Ottawa has “made it very clear” to the automotive companies that “we want to be a partner.”
Buzzell said there would be a research and development component to the company’s Windsor investment, and Bains said the federal Liberal government is “committed to an innovation agenda … part of that is innovation in the auto sector.”
Ottawa signalled in January it was reversing a long-standing policy of providing taxable loans through its Automotive Innovation Fund for automakers looking to invest in Canada and shifting toward grant-based incentives.
As part of the recent round of Unifor-Detroit Three contract bargaining, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and Ford pledged to invest $1.6 billion in their Ontario plants. As part of the new labour agreements, Ford agreed to invest $713 million in its Canadian operations, the bulk of that new spending in Windsor.
“It’s great news for the whole region,” said Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara, who was attending the Liberal function at the Fogolar.
“It creates and secures goodpaying jobs. We all know the spinoffs from these automotive investments.”
Windsor Coun. Rino Bortolin added the investment Ford is making in Windsor shows the confidence the company has that the border isn’t going to become an impediment to the industry.
“If Ford is investing in Michigan, as well as in Windsor, they’re confident NAFTA won’t drastically be changed,” said Bortolin, who was also at the Fogolar.
“They must be confident that this relationship won’t change.”