Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ford and Canadian Auto Workers reportedly reach a deal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/31/ford-and-canadian-auto-workers-reportedly-reach-a-deal/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/31/ford-and-canadian-auto-workers-reportedly-reach-a-deal/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/31/ford-and-canadian-auto-workers-reportedly-reach-a-deal/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ford reaches deal with CAW

Ford Motor Company and the leadership of the Canadian Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement after a marathon four-day wrap-up to negotiations. Union membership needs to approve the deal, which will guarantee a Great White North presence for Ford until at least 2012. Voting is underway this weekend, and if approved, the CAW will be responsible for building 10 percent of Ford's North American production, down from the current 13 percent, which the union had been trying to hold on to.

Workers did agree to time off reductions, and pledged that new employees will have to pay into their pensions. Ford's given its word that the company will build as many vehicles in Canada as it sells there, and the union deemed the pledge good enough to grant GM- and Chrysler-style concessions to Ford.

The Panther platform has been given its last rites; the St. Thomas Assembly plant is the only Ford location currently building the body-on-frame biggies, and that plant will close in September 2011. The 1,600 people in Ontario who build Town Cars and Grand Marquis are understandably unhappy about word that Ford intends to shutter the plant, but the Panther has cheated death more than once. This time, it may stick.

Better news for CAW members is that Ford's Oakville assembly complex, also in Ontario, has the go-ahead to add a third shift when needed. Ford also says it will manufacture a new vehicle at Oakville, which currently builds the Edge, Flex, MKX, and MKT crossovers, but that will likely come after the current labor agreement expires.

[Source: CBC News, Photo: Ford/CC]

Ford and Canadian Auto Workers reportedly reach a deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UPDATE: Automotive News (sub. req'd) reports that the Ford-UAW labor contract passed by a margin of nearly 4-to-1, compared to a 2-to-1 margin for GM's contract and only 56% voting in favor of Chrysler's contract.

Ford has just announced that its union-represented employees have ratified the new four-year labor contract that was reached back on Nov. 3 with the UAW. Unlike new labor contracts with General Motors and Chrysler that didn't attract overwhelming support from the UAW's rank-and-file membership, the Ford contract appears to have passed the popular vote with ease. The contract includes the increasingly popular VEBA account to take over for retiree health benefits, though Ford is contributing only 40% of the cash that will fund the account, compared to 54% for GM and 59% for Chrysler. Also like the previous two contracts, a new two-tier wage system will be employed, though only until 20% of Ford's UAW work force occupies the lower wage tier. Finally, Ford will take the money it saved on the VEBA account and reinvest it back into various manufacturing facilities to make them more flexible. Despite that, both the Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant and the Ohio Assembly Plant are being shuttered in addition to those already announced, while the automaker plans to make new product commitments to its remaining plants in the near future.

We're not sure whether UAW workers for Ford accepted the contract so readily because of its more favorable terms or the apparent futility in opposing the UAW leadership on things like labor contracts. There was a considerable amount of rank-and-file opposition to Chrysler's new labor contract, but at the end of the day it too won the popular vote thanks to the support of union leaders.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Quick and painless: Ford-UAW contract ratified by rank-and-file

Quick and painless: Ford-UAW contract ratified by rank-and-file originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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