With General Motors in the rearview mirror, the largest auto union in North America has moved on to its next target.
Contract talks are underway between the United Auto Workers and Ford. UAW spokesperson Brian Rothenberg told the Detroit Free Press that negotiations began in earnest on Monday.
The paper reported that issues surrounding retirement plans, health and safety, job security, time off and others have been hammered out, with the negotiations now concentrating on the co-pay for health care and the ratification bonus.
Traditionally, the UAW chooses one of the Detroit "Big Three" automakers to create a sort of template for negotiations, with the remaining two companies falling in line. GM was the target, and when talks failed, hourly workers walked off the job for 40 days, the longest nationwide strike against GM since 1973.
Despite GM being the number-one U.S.-based carmaker, Ford has a larger American hourly workforce with 55,000 employees. Like the rest of the Big Three, Ford's core market now consists of its highly profitable pickup trucks and SUVs, with less emphasis on smaller vehicles. Ford is ending production of the Flex SUV, with the 2019 model year being the last.
Ford has two Windsor-Essex facilities, the Windsor Engine Plant and the Essex Engine Plant. Its Canadian headquarters is at Oakville, along with its sole Canadian assembly plant, with about 4,500 employees.
Once an agreement with Ford is reached, the UAW will turn its attention to Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
