LIMA — The tentative agreement between the United Auto Workers union and Ford Motor Co. appears to be headed for ratification, as union members continue voting on the proposed four-year contract through Friday.
While rank and file voting is still underway, most members who have voted thus far have supported the agreement.
About 11,800 — or 61% — of the 19,500 Ford-UAW members whose votes were counted as of Wednesday afternoon voted to ratify the four-year contract, according to Automotive News, which has been tallying votes from Ford plants since last week.
Unofficial results from the Local 1219 ratification vote held in Lima on Wednesday show a slightly different trend, with 534 members voting against ratification and 492 members voting in favor, according to Local 1219 President Michael Copeland.
The 40-day UAW strike against GM has likely weighed on the minds of Ford employees as they consider whether to approve their contract, which was modeled after the GM agreement.
“Ford employees were able to get this without a strike,” said Bernard Swiecki, director of the Automotive Communities Partnership at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, which has been following UAW negotiations with the Big Three automakers.
Ford only plans to close one facility, the Romeo Engine Plant, which manufactures large V-8 engines for the Mustang Cobra and F-Series pickup trucks, during the life of the four-year contract, while GM intends to close three.
Ford plans to invest $6 billion in product investments, including $80 million to continue upgrading the 3.3-liter/3.5-liter Cyclone engine and 2.7-liter/3.0-liter Nano engine at the Lima Engine Plant.
While the automaker plans to close its Romeo Engine Plant in Michigan, it has also agreed to add or retain 8,500 jobs under the proposed agreement.
Voting will continue through Friday.
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