The United Auto Workers reached a tentative labor agreement with Ford Motor Co., people familiar with the negotiations said. The breakthrough puts pressure on the carmaker’s two chief rivals — which are set to meet with the union Thursday — to reach deals and end a protracted strike that has cost the industry billions of dollars.
The provisional deal at Ford includes a 25% hourly wage hike and is subject to union leadership approval, according to the people, who weren’t authorized to speak publicly. An announcement is expected around 8 p.m. local time in Detroit.
Once union leadership signs off, the agreement must also be ratified by Ford’s 57,000 US hourly workers, a process that could take weeks and has an uncertain outcome because expectations have been raised by UAW President Shawn Fain’s call for a transformational deal.
Pay was one of the last issues to be ironed out during the talks. The union had originally sought a 40% raise and 32-hour work week before reining in its demands. Ford earlier agreed to cost-of-living allowances, converting temp hires and expediting how long it takes workers to get to the top wage rate.