The Auto Workers Strike Just Hit Ford Where It Hurts

The United Auto Workers union announced Wednesday that its nearly 4-week strike against the “Big Three” automakers was expanding to Ford’s truck plant in Kentucky.

Roughly 8,700 union members work at the Louisville facility producing the company’s Super Duty trucks as well as the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

The walkout Wednesday marks the first time during the strike that the union has targeted the production of large pickups, a big moneymaker for Ford as well as General Motors and Stellantis, which owns the Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands.

“We have been crystal clear, and we have waited long enough, but Ford has not gotten the message,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. “It’s time for a fair contract at Ford and the rest of the Big Three. If they can’t understand that after four weeks, the 8,700 workers shutting down this extremely profitable plant will help them understand it.”

Ford called the decision to strike the Kentucky plant “grossly irresponsible but unsurprising.” The company said it had made an “outstanding offer” to the union in an effort to end the strike.

“In addition to affecting approximately 9,000 direct employees at the plant, this work stoppage will generate painful aftershocks ― including putting at risk approximately a dozen additional Ford operations and many more supplier operations,” the company said in a statement.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.