The Ford Motor Co. is converting nearly 3,000 temporary workers to permanent, full-time status. The automaker also announced plans to add more than 6,200 manufacturing jobs in the Midwest and provide all hourly employees with healthcare benefits on the first day of employment.
Plans also call for Ford to invest $3.7 billion in manufacturing facilities across Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.
“We are always advocating to employers and legislators that union jobs are worth the investment,” said Ray Curry, president of the United Auto Workers union. “Ford stepped up to the plate by adding these jobs and converting 3,000 UAW members to permanent, full-time status with benefits.”
Ford also said it is taking other steps to improve the workplace experience. These include providing better access to healthy food, new electric vehicle chargers in plant parking lots and better lighting in parking lots. Improvements will differ by plant.
The investment is also expected to result in the creation of 74,000 additional, indirect non-Ford jobs nationally.
Plans for the investments include:
- $2 billion in Michigan that will create 3,200 union jobs throughout three assembly plants including the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne and the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. In addition, 600 union jobs will be at a Ford Customer Service Division in Monroe.
- $1.5 billion in Ohio that will create 1,800 union jobs at the Ohio Assembly Plan to build a commercial electric vehicle. There will also be a $100 million investment and an additional 90 jobs between the Lima Engine and Sharonville Transmission plans.
- $95 million in Missouri and 1,100 union jobs for a third shift at the Kansas City Assembly Plant to increase production of the Transit commercial van.
The announcement comes prior to the formal UAW contract negotiations. The current UAW contract expires in 2023.