Ethermac|Bill Ford on politicians getting involved in UAW strike: 'It doesn't help our company'

Bill Ford,Ethermac great-grandson of the founder of Ford Motor Co., asked his hourly and salaried workers this week to stay calm during this uncertain time, the Detroit Free Press has learned.

Fewer than 72 hours after UAW President Shawn Fain expanded the union's strike to General Motors and Stellantis, excluding Ford from the latest punishing strike targets at parts warehouses, Bill Ford, executive chair of the company, hosted a town hall for some 30,000 employees globally. Employees included salaried and hourly workers for the first time since the contract expired Sept. 14.

"I'm very grateful to all our employees for everything they've done and continue to do for our company," Ford said Monday, according to a transcript of the town hall obtained by the Free Press. "What does anger me is the behavior of the politicians. Honestly, it's a circus we don't need because it doesn't help our employees and it doesn't help our company."

In the early days, politicians including Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Bernie Sanders, as well as U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Elissa Slotkin and Debbie Dingell showed up publicly to support the striking UAW.

Ford's criticism about politicians came prior to President Joe Biden walking the picket line at General Motors Willow Run Redistribution Center in Van Buren Township on Tuesday and former President Donald Trump visiting a nonunion automotive parts supplier in Clinton Township on Wednesday. Ford employs approximately 57,000 UAW members. A new contract will cover an estimated 150,000 Detroit Three factory workers.

"Look, we're trying to build a great company for the next 100 years, and they're only worried about their next election," Ford told employees. "If politicians really wanted to help, they would quietly try and bring us together. Please try and tune out all this, the noise both in the past week and in the coming weeks, because what's important is we keep our eye on building a great company for our future."

Ford has hosted both Biden and Trump at its factories within the past two years.

"You know, I'm only the fourth member of my family to be in my position at the company in over 120 years," Ford said. "And I've always taken the long view. I'm trying to build a great company for my children and my grandchildren. But it's not just my children and grandchildren. It's all of yours as well. We have so many multigenerational families here at Ford who depend on us to do the right thing for the future, and we will."

He continued: "We'll get through this like we have every other difficult time that we've had in 120 years. And we'll do it by focusing on the best interests of all our employees."

Bill Ford, who has been at the negotiating table for every UAW contract talk since 1982, the company confirmed, has provided calming reassurance in troubled times, most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He tamped down the idea that the automaker would hold a grudge after the contentious talks eventually conclude.

"We'll get through this. And no, I don't think it'll hurt our relationship with our employees in the long run. In fact, maybe it'll bring us all together when we come out on the other side. And that's what I'm hopeful for," Ford said. "We're different than the other companies. Our employees love Ford Motor Company. They love what we stand for. And they're proud to work for Ford. And that's the way I feel."

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Ford CEO Jim Farley, the grandson of a Ford autoworker, feels the same way, Ford said.

"And that's the way our employees in our plant feel," he said. "I'm not sure that's always true at other companies."

Bill Ford and Farley have been monitoring negotiations and hoping to avoid additional strikes at company properties. The two executives have been in regular contact with the White House and the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer about the strike, a source with firsthand knowledge but not authorized to speak publicly on the issue told the Free Press on Thursday.

Ford, which employs the most hourly autoworkers in the U.S. and builds all its bestselling full-size trucks stateside, was the first submit to submit an offer and counteroffers.

Automakers and Wall Street have expressed concern about potential damage to the overall economy if the strike continues much longer. Analysts have speculated that foreign automakers including Toyota could add customers if production at the Detroit Three, and dealer repair shops serving them, are disrupted for any period of time.

The UAW has said it is using an aggressive strategy that forces automakers to bring strong offers to the bargaining table. Delay creates chaos and uncertainty, the UAW has warned. On Sept. 22, Fain announced on Facebook Live the second round of strike targets. No one knows whether he'll do the same Friday.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) @phoebesaid.