Louisville Ford production workers vote ‘no’ on tentative contract between UAW, Ford
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) — Louisville Ford production workers on Sunday night voted “no” on a tentative contract agreement between Ford and United Auto Workers.
However, production workers and skilled trade workers are divided on the vote.
Skilled trade workers voted “yes” to ratify the contract.
So what does this mean?
Local UAW 862 released the results of the vote around 11 p.m. on social media.
55% of production workers at Louisville’s Ford plant voted against the new 4.5-year contract; 69% of skilled trade workers voted for it.
The new contract would guarantee a 25% wage increase for workers and reinstate cost of living adjustments, which were both things employees gave up during the financial crisis of 2008, WHAS said.
“It’s an overall majority. It’s not a 50% plus 1, yes it passed you’re good to go. So they take in all the numbers of everyone who voted across the country and do that population,” Local 862 President Todd Dunn said.
Local 862 has only released the percentages for the votes — not the official vote tally — or the number of people who have voted. We do know, however, that there are more “production” workers than “skilled trade” workers.
For Dunn, the difference in votes came because he believes many had already made up their minds especially from what they read on social media.
“Social media, I think though. although it can do a lot of good, it can also do a lot of harm if people putting information on their, have mindfulness of what they’re doing and wanna educate themselves and then have understanding of that and be able to share it,” he says.
The UAW now awaits how others unions nationwide will vote on the agreement.
“We’ll know by Thursday the outcome, and then if it is ratified, there will be, we’ll move, be moved forward by our international leadership,” said Dunn.
Dunn adding, Chuck Browning, the vice president and director of the Ford Department, will then proceed with what comes next.
“He’ll put out a notification talking about, if it is ratified, the agreement was ratified, here’s the total numbers, we’ll be moving forward within the parameters of the collective bargaining agreement. the days that you, you’re supposed to get, this will be here and there and it’ll kind of like outline the, immediate restitution if you will, that needs to go and, or the bonuses that need to go and when to expect them and they will just move forward in our everyday process,” said Dunn.
Adding he is grateful to everyone especially for the patience from members, and the sacrifices they’ve had to make adding that he believes the contract will be ratified on Thursday.
