Ford UAW Contract 2019: What You Need to Know
The United Automobile Workers (UAW) and Ford Motor Company recently reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract covering approximately 55,000 UAW-represented workers in the United States. The agreement must still be ratified by the UAW membership before it takes effect, but here is a breakdown of some of the key provisions:
Wages and Benefits
– The contract includes an $11,000 signing bonus for Ford workers, and annual wage increases for all workers. Entry-level workers will see their wages rise from $15.78 per hour to $16.00 per hour immediately, with further increases to $16.67 per hour by 2023.
– The agreement also includes additional benefits for temporary workers, including a path to permanent employment and improved health care coverage.
Health Care
– The contract maintains Ford`s current health care benefits for workers, with no additional cost-sharing requirements for workers. However, the agreement does establish a new Ford-UAW joint committee to explore ways to reduce health care costs for both the company and employees.
Job Security
– The contract includes several provisions aimed at protecting jobs for UAW-represented workers, including a commitment from Ford to invest $6 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations and create or retain around 8,500 jobs.
– The agreement also includes a “product protection” plan, which guarantees that Ford will continue to produce several key vehicles in U.S. plants through the life of the contract. This is expected to provide additional job security for workers in those facilities.
Other Issues
– The agreement includes several other provisions, such as improvements to the apprenticeship program for skilled trades workers, additional paid days off for new fathers, and increased funding for the Ford-UAW joint training program.
Overall, the Ford-UAW contract represents a significant victory for the union and its members. The agreement includes significant wage increases, additional benefits for temporary workers, and provisions aimed at protecting jobs for UAW-represented workers. If ratified by the membership, it will provide stability and security for Ford workers for the next four years.