UAW, Ford reach tentative agreement

UAW, Ford reach tentative agreement

CHICAGO, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) — The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced Wednesday night that it has reached a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Co. to end the 41-day UAW strike against Ford’s selected plants.

The agreement includes 25-percent base wage increases through April 2028, an increase of the top wage by over 30 percent to more than 40 dollars an hour, and an increase of the starting wage by 68 percent to over 28 dollars an hour over the life of the contract, according to a UAW news release.

The agreement also includes cost-of-living adjustments, a reduction in the time for new workers to reach the top wage scale from eight years to three years, improvements for current retirees, workers with pensions, and those who have 401(k) plans, and the right to strike over plant closures.

The UAW’s national council for Ford will vote Sunday on whether to send the agreement to members for a vote. UAW Vice President Chuck Browning said workers involved in the strike would begin returning to work immediately pending ratification.

XINHUA

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