Auto workers escalate strike, walking out at Ford's largest factory and threatening Stellantis
The United Auto Workers union significantly escalated its walkout against Detroit's Three automakers by going on strike Wednesday at the largest and most profitable Ford plant in the world
DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union significantly escalated its walkout against Detroit's Three automakers, shutting down Ford's largest factory and threatening Jeep maker Stellantis.
In a surprise move Wednesday night, 8,700 members left their jobs at Ford’s Kentucky truck plant in Louisville.
And Thursday morning, union President Shawn Fain hinted at further action against Stellantis. “Here's to hoping talks at Stellantis today are more productive than Ford yesterday,” Fain wrote on X, formerly Twitter, without saying what might happen.
Ford's truck plant makes heavy-duty F-Series pickup trucks and large Ford and Lincoln SUVs, the company's most lucrative products. The vehicles made at the plant generate $25 billion per year in revenue, the company said in a statement.
Fain said in a statement that the union has waited long enough “but Ford hasn’t gotten the message” to bargain for a fair contract. “If they can’t understand that after four weeks, the 8,700 workers shutting down this extremely profitable plant will help them understand it,” Fain said.
The strike came nearly four weeks after the union began its walkouts against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis on Sept. 15, with one assembly plant from each company.
The company, however, called the strike expansion “grossly irresponsible” and said it has made strong wage and benefit offers to the union. It said the move puts about a dozen other Ford facilities at risk, as well as parts supply plants that together employ over 100,000 people.
Anthony Spencer, who has worked at the
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