NEWS & LETTERS, December 2009
Ford workers reject concessions
Detroit--Rank-and-file Ford auto workers overwhelmingly rejected contract concessions proposed by UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and his bureaucracy. More than 70% of production workers and 75% of skilled trades workers voted against proposed concessions.
They included a six-year wage freeze on entry-level employees ($14 an hour, compared with $27 an hour before recent concessions) and binding arbitration (no strikes allowed) on disputes over wages and benefits that may arise in the next 2011 contract. Many skilled trades job classifications would have been consolidated, which simply means work speed-up.
In an August conference the Ford UAW national council delegates, mostly local union presidents, had rejected any idea of opening contract talks to consider concessions. The UAW bureaucracy then pulled a language trick, declaring that they weren't reopening the contract, just seeking contract "modifications."
The UAW bureaucracy, Ford and the national media tried to persuade workers by claiming that Ford had to have concessions to remain competitive with GM and Chrysler, with concessions gained through government-orchestrated bankruptcy. In return, Ford offered a $1,000 signing bonus to each of its 41,000 UAW workers, new investments in plants and new jobs and job protection for as many as 7,000 positions.
The Ford workers knew that on the production line more concessions would add to the miseries of the previous March concessions. They knew that Ford had been long on promises but had failed to deliver. They did the simple math, and knew that if Ford was willing to pay $41 million in bonus money, the concessions would be worth billions, all taken out of their hides.
Under the impact of record unemployment, especially in the auto industry, everybody just knew that Ford workers would approve the concessions--everybody except the Ford workers themselves.
Ford workers at the Kansas City assembly plant, in one of the largest locals with 3,737 members, voted 92% against concessions and voted to authorize a strike. That doesn't mean the workers will necessarily strike, but it shows their anger.
They have filed a huge number of grievances against the company, and disciplinary actions are ruthlessly punishing the workers. This is just the tip of the iceberg. With the kinds of concessions that have been forced on all of the auto workers, GM and Chrysler as well as Ford, the anger and resentment are certain to increase and erupt throughout the industry.
--Andy Phillips
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