United Auto Worker members at Ford ’s Kansas City, Missouri crossover and truck factory are considering a strike following changes to the plant’s work processes. The Kansas City plant produces the Ford F-150 , Ford Escape , Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute.
According to UAW Local 249’s Web site, union members are unhappy with new workload requirements set at the plant. Several workers have reportedly been disciplined over violations of the new work processes.
“The company is forcing this action by their refusal to follow our agreements surrounding workload disputes, and we cannot and will not let any of our members fail by allowing the company to set up jobs that hurt people or nobody can perform 10 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Local 249 posted on its Web site.
However, Jeff Wright, president of Local 249, is optimistic that the dispute won’t actually result in a work stoppage. “Basically it’s just a formality,” Wright told Automotive News. “We’re still talking with Ford , and I’m sure we’ll get this resolved. This is one step in the process.”
This isn’t the first time Ford has had problems with UAW members at the Kansas City plant. In late October union members at the plant voted down a measure by 92 percent that would have given Ford comparable labor costs to General Motors and Chrysler .
