Ford faces strike threat at tool and die plant in Michigan

The United Auto Workers union is now threatening to go on strike next week at Ford’s (NYSE:F) tool and die plant at the River Rouge Complex near Detroit, if the automaker does not resolve local contract issues.

UAW President Shawn Fain authorized setting a strike deadline for 11.59 pm on September 25 as Ford (F) failed to reach an agreement with the plant’s workers more than a year past the contract deadline.

“The core issues in the local negotiations are job security, wage parity for skilled trades, as well as work rules,” the union said in a statement.

The tool and die plant – which employs less than 500 workers – supports the Ford (F) Rouge Complex, where F-150 pickup trucks are produced.

“Ford (F) invested $15M in the plant last year and we have been at the table problem-solving,” the company said. “Negotiations continue and we look forward to reaching an agreement with UAW Local 600 at Dearborn Tool & Die.”

The strike deadline announcement comes soon after UAW said it would hold strike authorization votes against Stellantis (STLA) as the automaker did not follow through on guarantees it made in the national labor contract inked last year.