UAW members at Ford ratify new contract

UAW members have voted to ratify a new collective-bargaining agreement with Ford Motor Co.

Workers voted 81 % in favor of the four-year pact, and 71 % of skilled-trades workers approved the contract. Overall, 79 % of UAW Ford members voted in favor of the contract.

The union reached a tentative agreement with Ford on November 3.

UAW president Ron Gettelfinger said: “Our bargaining team negotiated a contract that protects wages, benefits and seniority for our active members and provides income and health care security for our retired members. We stood our ground in the face of some rather big asks by the company and came away with a creative agreement that addresses the concerns of our members, and also gives the company the opportunity to move forward.

“Now it’s up to Ford to successfully bring to market the top-quality vehicles our members are building in UAW Ford factories.

UAW president Ron Gettelfinger

"Now it’s up to Ford to successfully bring to market the top-quality vehicles our members are building in UAW Ford factories.”

“We obtained solid commitments from the company to keep plants open and to invest in UAW members and union-made products here in the United States,” said UAW Vice President Bob King, who heads the union’s National Ford Department. “That means job security for our members, which was a top priority for us.”

The new contract covers about 54,000 active workers at Ford and more than 94,000 Ford retirees and 28,000 surviving spouses. It will expire September 14, 2011.