UAW President Fain takes Ford heir to task on stonewalling and threats – National & International News – FRI 20Oct2023

UAW President Fain takes Ford heir to task on stonewalling and threats.

House GOP drops Jordan as Speaker nominee, now back to square one.

NATIONAL NEWS

UAW President Fain takes Ford heir to task on stonewalling and threats

Earlier this week, Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford (great-grandson of founder Henry Ford), spoke at the Rouge truck plant in Dearborn, MI, directly addressing workers amid a strike that has lasted 6 weeks. Ford framed his appeal to workers claiming the company had no more concessions to offer UAW members, saying it would hurt the firm’s competitiveness with foreign automaker and other non-union automakers like Tesla. During his speech, Ford heavily implied that if United Auto Workers didn’t accept the company’s last offer (from two weeks ago), large plants like the Rouge would be shutdown, despite generating billions in profit.

One day after Ford’s statements at the Rouge, the company announced it would be handing out $600 million in stockholder dividends this quarter.

In his address to members today (stream starts at 13:50), United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said that those dividends alone would be a $1/hr raise for all of Ford’s workers for the life of the contract. “Lavishing money on people who are already rich doesn’t improve the business, and it does not improve the economy. It doesn’t make Ford more competitive, and it doesn’t secure a future for Ford. Investing in our members does all that, Fain said, “What Ford is showing us is that the money’s there; they just don’t want us to have it”.

Fain threatens to walk more plants

Fain said GM and Stellantis had made significant moves this week to catch up with Ford’s most recent economic proposal. However, all three companies are falling short on pensions, demands regarding future temp workers and unpopular and divisive wage tiers for new hires. Fain particularly called out GM, which is so far the only company not to agree to UAW workers’ rights to strike over plant closures. Stellantis is also stuck on wage progression, low temp pay, and has offered nothing more in retiree pay.

Fain did not call any new facilities to strike, but maintains he will call them out when and as needed. He specifically mentioned GM’s Arlington, TX, and Flint, MI, Truck plants; Stellantis’ plants in Sterling Heights, MI, and Kokomo, IN; and Ford’s truck plant at the Rouge in Dearborn, MI, where Bill Ford spoke earlier this week.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

House GOP drops Jordan as Speaker nominee in secret ballot

After losing a third vote in his bid to become Speaker of the House, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) has now been booted out of the race. House Republicans voted 112-86 to end Jordan’s run as Speaker-elect. The GOP has not appointed a new Speaker-elect and it’s not really clear what happens now. After the vote, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said they will be “starting over” again on Monday.

Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-NC) said he would call a candidate forum on Monday, hopefully followed by a secret ballot of House members on Tuesday morning and a first floor vote Tuesday afternoon.

Several members are apparently now jockeying for the position including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN) and Reps. Kevin Hern (OK), Byron Donalds (FL), Pete Sessions (TX), Jack Bergman (MI), Mike Johnson (LA), and Austin Scott (GA).

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).