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Ford Media Center
DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 30, 2015 – The new collective bargaining agreement ratified on Friday, Nov. 20 by United Auto Workers (UAW) represented employees in the United States provides a good foundation for Ford (NYSE: F) to create an even stronger business in the years ahead.
“This agreement enables us to further strengthen our business and continue investing in manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and chief executive officer. “At the same time, the agreement aligns our labor cost structure more closely with our competition and improves our manufacturing productivity and staffing flexibility.”
The terms of the new agreement provide Ford with several opportunities to improve its overall productivity, including:
The new agreement also puts Ford on common footing with its domestic competitors regarding overall labor cost structure. During the four-year contract period, the agreement effectively closes the labor cost gap to General Motors and substantially narrows the gap to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Overall, including the ratification and lump sum bonuses, Ford’s U.S. labor costs will increase by less than 1.5 percent a year, which is less than the company’s present forecast of inflation over the contract period.
Ford will incur a $600 million expense this year tied to the new agreement, primarily associated with the ratification bonus. This is consistent with the company’s full-year guidance for 2015.
The company also has committed to investing $9 billion in its U.S. plants and expects to create or secure 8,500 hourly U.S. jobs in communities across Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, New York and Ohio. The jobs will support production of the all-new Ford Super Duty, F-150 Raptor, Lincoln Continental and several new powertrain technologies.
The agreement covers approximately 53,000 UAW-represented employees in the U.S. It builds on the 2011 Ford-UAW labor agreement, in which Ford pledged to create 12,000 new U.S. jobs. The company exceeded that commitment by adding more than 15,000 hourly jobs between 2011 and 2015 and investing $10.2 billion in the company’s U.S. plants.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 174,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.