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Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The United Auto Workers union and Ford said Wednesday they reached a tentative deal, averting a strike over local issues at the automaker's Kentucky truck plant. UAW said the deal addressed issues related to "skilled trades, health & safety, and ergonomics" at the plant, which it identified as Ford's most profitable, that had workers prepared to walk off of the job if necessary.
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UAW Local 862's Evan Palmer said the main issues in the local negotiations focused on getting a minimum nurse staffing in the plant and improving the culture in skilled trades.
"This will be the best local agreement the membership has ever seen," Palmer said.
The UAW had put Ford on notice on Feb. 16 warning that Local 862 could strike on Feb. 23 unless local issues were resolved. The union said then that Ford had failed to reach the local agreement more than five months past the contract deadline.
UAW Local 862 President Todd Dunn, said after the strike notice the union was able to make major gains in the local talks.
"We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with UAW Local 862 covering Kentucky Truck Plant and 8,700 valued UAW-Ford employees," UAW spokesperson Jessica Enoch said in a statement. "Ford is the No. 1 employer of UAW-represented autoworkers and 2024 is one of our biggest-ever new product launch years in the U.S. -- with the all-new Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator launching in Kentucky, the new F-150 and Ranger in Michigan and the new Explorer and Lincoln Aviator in Illinois."
According to the UAW there are another dozen local contracts still unresolved at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
The UAW spent 40 days on a national strike against the three Detroit automakers before an agreement was reached on national issues ending that strike Oct. 25.
