WAYNE, Mich. (WXYZ) — United Auto Workers union members are in the sixth day of a strike against the three major automakers. Late Tuesday evening, Canadian auto union Unifor reached a tentative deal with Ford Motor Co.
7 Action News spoke with UAW members picketing outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne about the Unifor deal.
“I hope they didn’t come under pressure because that doesn’t look good for us,” said Ford employee Carmen Moore.
The Unifor-Ford agreement now awaits the ratification process. No details have been released. However, Unifor had called for better wages, pensions and support as the company transitioned to making electric vehicles.
“I hope it’s a good deal and hopefully it means something good for us,” said Ford employee Brendan Fluker.
7 Action News also spoke with Chris Douglas, an economics professor at the University of Michigan-Flint.
“It’s surprising that the Canadian union was able to reach an agreement with Ford, but for some reason the UAW couldn’t reach an agreement with the same company as well as General Motors and Chrysler (Stellantis).” To me, perhaps that means that the three companies in the “Don’t proceed in a completely unreasonable way through the negotiation process,” Douglas said.
He said Canada’s universal health care is unlikely to help Unifor and Ford reach an agreement quickly.
“As long as General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are not asking their members to pay for health care out of their own pockets – which I don’t think is the case – that shouldn’t be a problem in negotiations between the three companies and the UAW in the United States,” he said .
Ford employee Darvin Fletcher said: “If they can reach an agreement, we shouldn’t be too far away from it.”
Travetta Rich, another Ford employee, said: “I hope they got a good deal and didn’t just accept anything to avoid going on strike.”
Next, Unifor will work to strike deals with GM and Stellantis.
Douglas said if the Canadian deal with Ford is ratified and production continues at Ford’s Canadian plants, it will help the company remain profitable.
In return, he said this would likely make it easier for Ford to weather the UAW strike. Maybe that will put more pressure on the UAW.
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