OEMs

UAW Workers in Kentucky and Michigan Vote Against Labor Pact

November 13, 2023

United Auto Workers (UAW) members at plants in Louisville, Ky., and Flint, Mich., have voted against ratifying the tentative labor contracts with two of the “Big Three” Detroit-area automakers.

Still, it should be noted that the votes of all the workers are tallied at the end of the ratification process for each automaker. If a majority has voted in favor of the contract, it will be ratified. A UAW tracker shows that the Ford vote is currently at 65% voting yes.

Ford

A majority of production workers at UAW Local 862, which represents workers at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant and Louisville Assembly Plant, voted against the agreement. A total of 55% of production workers were against the labor pact, according to a post on UAW Local 862’s Facebook page on Monday.

However, 69% of skilled workers at the local voted in favor of the agreement, the post said. No further breakdown of the vote was given.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville employs ~9,000 workers, according to Ford’s website. It produces Ford F-250–F-550 Super Duty Trucks, the Ford Expedition, and the Lincoln Navigator.

The Louisville Assembly Plant employs over 3,000 workers, and its current products are the Ford Escape, a compact crossover SUV, and the Lincoln Corsair, a luxury compact crossover, Ford’s website said.

A Ford spokeswoman declined to comment on the contract or the process. However, for point of reference, she told SMU that, in 2019, only 37% of the Kentucky Truck Plant voted to ratify the contract, and in 2015, only 35%. This year, she said that number stood at 46%.

General Motors

Meanwhile, a post from UAW Local 598’s Facebook page last Thursday said a majority of its members who work at the General Motors Flint Assembly Plant rejected the contract.

Out of those who cast votes, 52.8% of production workers voted against the contract, while 64.8% of skilled trades workers voted in favor of the contract. A grand total of 51.8% of workers voted against the agreement, according to the post.

The Flint plant builds heavy-duty crew and regular cab trucks, including the Chevrolet Silverado HD, and the GMC Sierra HD Denali and Sierra HD, according to GM’s website.

“Given the UAW manages the ratification process, we have to respectfully decline comment until all UAW/GM team members have voted (46,000),” a GM spokesman told SMU on Monday.

“It is expected that the UAW will announce the outcome of the vote within the next week or so,” he added.

Background

Recall that the UAW reached a tentative deal with GM on Oct. 30, with Ford on Oct. 25, and with Netherlands-based Stellantis on Oct. 29. With tentative agreements in hand, striking members at all three automakers returned to work. The ratification process for each of the “Big Three” is ongoing.

A UAW spokesman did not return a call for comment by time of publication.

Ethan Bernard

Ethan Bernard is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA. in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.