The UAW now turns its attention to Ford

DETROIT/WASHINGTON — The United Auto Workers union said on Friday it has chosen Ford as the next U.S. automaker the union will negotiate with after workers at General Motors approved a new contract deal.

The UAW and Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, will begin talks on Monday, the union said. Ford and the UAW said earlier this month they had made “significant progress” in addressing many bargaining issues.

Ford said on Friday it looks “forward to reaching a fair agreement that helps Ford enhance its competitiveness and preserve and protect good-paying manufacturing jobs.”

Unlike GM, Ford has not signaled it wants to close plants, but executives have said future electric vehicles would require 30% fewer labour hours to build. UAW leaders have expressed concern about the impact of EVs on their members.

GM also did little to lower its share of the UAW’s healthcare plans, which could be more costly to Ford since it employs about 55,000 UAW members in the United States.

The UAW had previously agreed to a temporary contract extension with Ford while it focused on GM.

While the talks between GM and the UAW grew tense at times, with the union accusing the automaker of trying to “starve … workers off the picket lines,” Ford historically has had an easier relationship with the union. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford has described the UAW as “family” in the past and in September 2018 hailed the No. 2 U.S. automaker’s relationship with its hourly workers.

“The UAW doesn’t just make our workers better, it makes Ford better and stronger,” Bill Ford told UAW workers last year.