On Wednesday night, the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford Motor Co. achieved a groundbreaking tentative agreement. This accord, as per a knowledgeable source, encompasses a substantial 25% wage increase spanning four years, including an immediate 11% salary hike.
This development is a significant step toward resolving the unprecedented, simultaneous strike staged by the UAW against all three major Detroit automakers. UAW representatives instructed workers on the picket line at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne to return home around 8 p.m. Wednesday in anticipation of a forthcoming robocall outlining their return to work. This breakthrough comes on the 41st day of the targeted strike, which mobilized over 45,000 autoworkers from eight assembly plants and 38 parts distribution centers to picket lines.
This tentative agreement is the first of its kind between the UAW and any of the automakers and is expected to expedite negotiations with General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV. The UAW's national council will convene in Detroit on Sunday to decide whether to present this agreement to its members for a vote. Should they opt for it, a detailed presentation will be made on Facebook Live Sunday night.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer lauded this news in a statement, acknowledging the historic deal reached by the UAW and Ford. She expressed her belief that this agreement not only benefits Michigan's skilled autoworkers but also supports the success and growth of the esteemed automaker within the state. Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of these negotiations in the context of global manufacturing competition, asserting that Michigan is under scrutiny as a key player in this arena.
The agreement between the UAW and Ford comes in the wake of a substantial escalation of the strike earlier in the week. Experts and analysts suggest that this marked the UAW's final major effort to fulfill its demands and demonstrate its commitment to its members and leaders' ambitious promises.