55,000 UAW workers' approval of Ford deal not guaranteed. This fix may help.
Ford and the UAW edited the tentative agreement fix a "wage transition disparity" that disadvantaged in-progression workers.
More than 55,000 United Auto Workers employees at Ford are in the process of voting on a tentative agreement with the automaker, and while ratification isn't guaranteed, a change made mid-vote may help.
Ford and the UAW edited the tentative agreement to fix a "wage transition disparity" that disadvantaged in-progression workers, which is a label applied to employees hired after 2007. Ford employees began voting on the agreement in early November but were notified of the fix a few days ago, The Detroit Free Press reported.
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"It was a glitch," said a person with knowledge said, according to The Free Press. "This just shows the commitment of the company to work with the union to make sure that this agreement is what it was meant to be for all the employees."
The change means newer employees who had already received annual raises will get backpay to bring them up to the level of the new payscale being voted on.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | FORD MOTOR CO. | 11.10 | -0.29 | -2.55% |
UAW and Ford leaders will know whether rank-and-file members approved the agreement on Nov. 15.
This will be the union's first deal with one of the Detroit Three automakers without president Gary Jones since he took the helm in 2018. Jones began a leave of absence on Sunday amid an escalating federal corruption probe into the UAW, one of the country's most powerful unions.
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FILE - In this July 16, 2019, file photo, Gary Jones, United Auto Workers President, speaks during the opening of their contract talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in Auburn Hills, Mich. Jones is taking a paid leave of absence amid a federal invest
The labor group has been plagued by allegations of embezzlement amid high-stakes negotiations with General Motors and Ford. In August, agents from the FBI, IRS and Labor Department raided Jones' home, gathering evidence in their probe.
FOX Business' inquiries to the UAW and Ford were not immediately returned.