Ford CEO Jim Farley speaks with media after revealing the 2024 Ford F-150 for the Detroit auto present on Sept. 12, 2023.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
DETROIT – Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley rebuffed feedback by United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain that the corporate shouldn’t be taking bargaining critically forward of a Thursday night time strike deadline, putting blame on the union chief for not exhibiting as much as the bargaining desk – each figuratively and actually.
Farley mentioned the corporate has acquired “no genuine counteroffer” on its 4 financial proposals, together with the newest supply that Ford is asking probably the most beneficiant supply ever between the UAW and firm. He additionally mentioned Fain, who’s concurrently negotiating with General Motors and Stellantis, was absent throughout a Tuesday assembly that he and Ford Chair Bill Ford anticipated Fain to attend.
“We’re here, we’re ready to negotiate, but it’s sure hard to negotiate a contract when there’s no one to negotiate with,” Farley informed reporters Wednesday night time on the sidelines of the Detroit Auto Show. “We have time left, but it’s hard to negotiate when you don’t get any feedback back.”
Farley’s feedback got here roughly 24 hours after he informed reporters Tuesday that he was optimistic the corporate may attain a cope with the union.
Public criticism between the union and an automaker aren’t unprecedented however the quantity of element being launched, introduced strike plans and simultaneous bargaining actually are.
Farley mentioned he did not know Fain had acquired the supply till he was discussing it throughout a 5 p.m. Facebook Live with union members. He additionally questioned whether or not Fain is simply too busy already “planning strikes or PR events that we can’t get the feedback to make the best offer.”
UAW President Shawn Fain chairs the 2023 Special Elections Collective Bargaining Convention in Detroit, March 27, 2023.
Rebecca Cook | Reuters
A UAW spokesman didn’t instantly reply for remark relating to Farley’s feedback or a letter launched on his behalf by the corporate countering a lot of Fain’s criticisms.
The union has argued the businesses know their calls for. They embrace: bold targets of 40% hourly pay will increase, a decreased 32-hour workweek, a shift again to conventional pensions, the elimination of compensation tiers and a restoration of cost-of-living changes, amongst different objects.
Farley declined to instantly reply a query about whether or not he believes the union is bargaining in good religion, which may justify a criticism with the National Labor Relations Board.
The UAW late final month filed unfair labor observe fees in opposition to GM and Stellantis to the NLRB for not bargaining with the union in good religion or a well timed method. It didn’t file a criticism in opposition to Ford.
As launched Thursday by the union, Ford’s most up-to-date proposal included a number of the union’s calls for, however not all of them. It included 20% wage will increase; a “deficient” restoration of cost-of-living adjustment, reworked profit-sharing system; 90-day development for “temp,” or supplemental, employees to turn into common staff; and different advantages comparable to elevated trip days and two-week paid parental go away.
Fain mentioned Ford and its crosstown rivals rejected the union’s retiree and health-care proposals.
If the UAW and corporations can’t attain a deal by an 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday deadline, Fain mentioned the union will implement focused strikes at sure crops in opposition to the Detroit automakers.
During his Facebook occasion, Fain mentioned he believed strikes in opposition to the businesses are “likely.”
“To win, we’re likely going to have to take action. Just as we have approached our negotiations differently than we have in the past, we’re preparing to strike these companies in a way they’ve never seen before,” Fain mentioned.
Here is the total textual content of Farley’s letter following Fain’s remarks:
The Ford group continues to place 100% of our power into reaching an settlement with the UAW that rewards our valued staff and permits the corporate to take a position sooner or later. If there’s a strike, it is not as a result of Ford did not make an awesome supply. We have and that is what we will management.
In truth, we’ve got put 4 provides on the desk beginning Aug. 29 and every one has been more and more beneficiant. We nonetheless haven’t acquired any real counteroffer.
On Tuesday, Bill Ford and I sat down with the union on the predominant desk for a serious supply. As we have been strolling within the room, we realized President Fain wouldn’t be attending. Nevertheless, Bill and I laid out a traditionally beneficiant supply to the UAW Ford bargaining group as a result of we listened to the UAW calls for and we care about our staff. Here are the info. Ford:
• Significantly elevated our proposal on wage will increase;
• Offered Cost of Living Adjustments, or COLA;
• Fully eradicated wage tiers so all staff can obtain industry-leading wages – and shortened to 4 from eight years the time it takes hourly staff to succeed in the highest wage;
• Increased contributions to in-progression retirement financial savings;
• Protected well being care advantages that will proceed to rank within the high 1% of all employer sponsored medical plans for lowest worker price sharing; and
• Added extra paid day off, with as much as 5 weeks of trip and 17 paid holidays annually (with the addition of Juneteenth).
The first we realized President Fain acquired the supply was on Facebook Live this night. So once more, we’re right here and able to attain a deal. We ought to be working creatively to unravel exhausting issues fairly than planning strikes and PR occasions.
Please do not forget that Ford, greater than another firm, has wager on the UAW and handled the UAW with respect. We have been extremely supportive of the union. We have gone nicely past any contract language in including jobs and funding.
The way forward for our {industry} is at stake. Let’s do all the pieces we will to avert a disastrous consequence.
Source: www.cnbc.com”