Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🗣️ UAW President Shawn Fain responded to Bill Ford’s remarks, emphasizing that non-union workers at companies like Tesla, Toyota, and Honda are not adversaries but potential future members of the UAW.
- 🚗 Bill Ford had expressed concerns about high labor costs impacting vehicle development and factory investments, urging a resolution to the ongoing strike.
- 💼 Fain suggested that Bill Ford could end the strike by engaging in productive negotiations rather than making threats.
- 💰 He stressed that the focus should be on fair wages and benefits, emphasizing that autoworkers at various automakers are not the enemy.
- ⏳ The UAW’s strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis continues into its first month, affecting approximately 34,000 union members.
In a response to Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford’s statements on Monday, the UAW noted that workers at non-union automakers like Tesla and Toyota are not the enemy. Instead, they are the UAW’s future members.
During his speech in Ford’s hometown of Dearborn, Michigan, Bill Ford noted that high labor costs could limit spending on developing new vehicles and investing in factories. The executive noted that if Ford loses its competitive nature against rivals, many jobs will be lost.
“It’s the absolute lifeblood of our company. And if we lose it, we will lose to the competition. America loses. Many jobs will be lost,” Bill Ford said. He also urged Ford’s workers to end their strike.
“We need to come together to bring an end to this acrimonious round of talks. I still believe in a bright future — one that we can build together. I still believe the automobile industry is a major force for good in our country. We will continue to be there when America needs us most,” he added.
In a response posted on X, UAW President Shawn Fain argued that Ford knows exactly how to end the ongoing strike.
“Bill Ford knows exactly how to settle this strike. Instead of threatening to close the Rouge, he should call up Jim Farley, tell him to stop playing games and get a deal done, or we’ll close the Rouge for him.
“It’s not the UAW and Ford against foreign automakers. It’s autoworkers everywhere against corporate greed. If Ford wants to be the all-American auto company, they can pay all-American wages and benefits. Workers at Tesla, Toyota, Honda, and others are not the enemy—they’re the UAW members of the future,” Fain said.
The UAW’s strike against Ford, General Motors (GM), and Stellantis has closed out its first month. The strike has so far covered about 34,000 of the union’s 146,000 members across the Detroit Big Three.
