The United Auto Workers called its local union plant officials to Detroit for a Tuesday meeting in anticipation of reaching an agreement with Ford Motor Co. on a new four-year contact. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
Funk Flex
Find Flex On Google+
Michele Martin, UAW spokeswoman, said the union “hopes” it will have an agreement to present to the local union leaders at the Tuesday meeting.
Martin said the union plant leaders were called on Sunday in order for them to travel to Detroit in time for the Tuesday meeting. She said there was no guarantee that there will be a deal in hand by Tuesday, however.
Ford’s 41,000 unionized workers expect to reach a richer deal than one ratified last week for 48,500 General Motors Co. workers.
On Sunday, UAW and Ford negotiators continued negotiations for the seventh consecutive day. Talks began in late July.
Unlike GM and Chrysler Group , Ford did not undergo a federally funded bankruptcy and bailout in 2009. Also, it is the only one of the three Detroit automakers where workers can call a strike.
Ford hourly UAW workers filed a grievance against the company that has yet to be settled, but may be part of the deal now said to be near. The grievance says that Ford gave pay increases to its salaried workers, but not similar increases to its hourly workforce.
The union reached a deal with GM on Sept. 17 and last week workers ratified a four-year contract that calls for bonuses rather than wage increases for most workers and pay increases for lower-paid “second-tier” employees.
The UAW turned its primary attention to the Ford talks on Sept. 21 after talks at Chrysler stalled.
The contracts at all three automakers were to expire on Sept. 14, but were extended. Ford’s contract was extended indefinitely and Chrysler’s contract was extended to Oct. 19.
