UAW and Ford agree on contract
DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union has reached a tentative contract agreement with Ford, a sign that union leaders expect General Motors workers to approve a similar four-year deal.
The UAW said it reached an agreement with Ford on Friday morning. The contract covers 53,000 workers at 22 U.S. plants.
No details were released, but Ford’s agreement is expected to be similar to the contract GM workers are expected to approve this weekend. Voting at GM plants was to end Friday evening.
Like a previous contract ratified by Fiat Chrysler workers, GM’s agreement would eliminate a two-tier wage system over eight years. The agreement also promises bonuses, profitsharing payments and the first raises for top-tier workers in a decade.
Ford plant leaders will meet Monday in Detroit to discuss the agreement. If they approve it, details will be released to members, who would then vote on it.
Fiat Chrysler workers rejected their first contract agreement in early October but ratified a sweetened deal with a vote of 77 percent in favor. GM and the UAW reached their own agreement just before a strike deadline on Oct. 25.
At GM, voting was close early this week, but several large union locals approved it Friday. If approved, the four-year contract would cover 52,600 GM workers at 63 U.S. facilities.
However, the GM ratification could be delayed because although production workers appear to have approved the deal, it appears skilled trades workers rejected it. Skilled trades workers such as pipe fitters and electricians may be able to thwart the ratification.
UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg wouldn’t comment other than to say the union is “interested in hearing the issues that the skilled trades have.”
UAW President Dennis Williams had promised — and won — richer benefits from GM, a bigger and wealthier company than Fiat Chrysler.