Ford UAW members on track to ratify contract, joining GM and Stellantis
The vote effectively brings an end to the politically charged strike against the Big Three automakers.
United Auto Workers members at Ford had enough votes to ratify their contract on Friday, the third and final automaker to join the fold — effectively ending a strike that drew wide political attention and solidified President Joe Biden's alignment with organized labor.
Union members at General Motors and Stellantis hit the same milestones Thursday and earlier Friday, respectively, according to vote trackers from the UAW.
The votes mark the end of a tumultuous labor-management clash that drew in top lawmakers and Democrats including Biden, who made an unprecedented visit to the picket line and was deeply invested in the outcome. A prolonged strike threatened to further unsettle the economy and provide an opening for former President Donald Trump, who is courting the support of blue-collar workers in his bid to return to the White House.
Workers at Ford and Stellantis — the parent company of Chrysler — seemed on track to approve their contracts by a more comfortable margin than at General Motors, according to the union trackers.
Stellantis, Ford and UAW declined to comment.
The contracts, which are largely the same across all three companies, include 25 percent wage increases over 4.5 years, with even greater gains for some lower-paid workers.
The agreements also open doors for organizing workers at electric vehicle facilities, a crucial gain as UAW seeks more members amid the Biden-backed electric vehicle transition.
