Ford says 600 workers temporarily laid off due to Michigan Assembly Plant strike
(CBS DETROIT) - Ford Motor Company announced Friday that approximately 600 workers at the Michigan Assembly Plant have been temporarily laid off amid the United Auto Workers strike.
In a statement, the company says the workers laid off are at the plant's body construction department and south sub-assembly area of integrated stamping.
Those workers were instructed not to report to work on Friday.
READ: The UAW strike is underway. Here's what it looks like so far.
"Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW's targeted strike strategy will have knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage. In this case, the strike at Michigan Assembly Plant's final assembly and paint departments has directly impacted the operations in other parts of the facility," read the statement.
"This is not a lockout. This layoff is a consequence of the strike at Michigan Assembly Plant's final assembly and paint departments because the components built by these 600 employees use materials that must be e-coated for protection. E-coating is completed in the paint department, which is on strike."
The historic UAW strike officially began at midnight Friday after no agreement was met with Detroit's three big automakers -- Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors -- by 11:59 p.m., Sept. 14.
A few hours before the strike, UAW President Shawn Fain called on three plants to strike at midnight. Those plants were General Motors Wentzville Assembly Plant in Missouri (UAW Local 2250, Region 4), Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex (Local 12, Region 2B), and Ford Michigan Assembly Plant - Final Assembly and Paint in Wayne (Local 900, Region 1A).
"If we need to go all out, we will," Fain said Thursday night.
Fain said facilities that were not called on Thursday will work under an expired agreement with no contract extension.
"Management cannot change terms and conditions of work in your workplace. You do not become an employee at will. You cannot be fired or disciplined for no reason," he said. "The strategy will keep the companies guessing. It will give our national negotiators maximum leverage and flexibility in bargaining. And if we need to go all out, we will."
In response to the strike, GM CEO Mary Barra defended the company's position, saying they presented multiple officers.
Barra said GM couldn't be successful if the company met all of UAW's demands. The initial demands, she said, were over $100 billion.