Ford will create more than 6,000 jobs in the United States by boosting production of electric vehicles

Ford Mustangs go through assembly at the Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant on August 20, 2015 in Flat Rock, Michigan.

Getty Images

Ford Motor said Thursday it will add about 6,200 union jobs in the Midwest as it revamps three plants to build new electric and gas-powered models, including a new seventh-generation version of the Mustang coupe.

The plant investments, expected to cost $3.7 billion, will be used to retool the plants to build a new commercial electric vehicle and all-new versions of the gasoline-powered Ford Mustang and Ford Ranger. Ford will also add workers to increase production of Ford Transit commercial vans and Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickups.

The company didn’t provide any details about the new electric utility vehicle, except to say that it will begin production “in the middle of the decade” at an existing plant in Ohio.

In addition to the new jobs, nearly 3,000 temporary employees at the plant will become full-time hourly employees ahead of a schedule negotiated with the United Auto Workers, said Kumar Galhotra, president of the internal combustion business.” Ford Blue” from Ford, in a media. Report.

All of these employees will immediately receive wage increases and health care benefits, Galhotra said.

Following talks with the UAW, Ford said it will also spend $1 billion over the next five years to improve workplaces at U.S. factories, including better parking lot lighting and more lighting. food options in cafeterias.

The victories for the union come as many U.S. businesses struggle to hire workers and inflation fuels Americans’ uncertainty about their finances.

It’s unusual for a Detroit automaker to give major concessions to UAW-represented workers outside of the contract renewal process, which takes place every four years. The current labor agreement between Ford and the UAW is not up for renewal until September 2023.

The moves may be intended to allay union concerns about two massive new Ford electric vehicle plant campuses in Kentucky and Tennessee that may not have UAW representation. Both states are so-called “right to work” states, and Ford said it would allow its hourly workers in those states to choose whether they want to be represented by the union.

Comments are closed.