Michigan Ford workers eager to return to work after 41-day strike
WAYNE, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – The picket line outside of the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne dissolved Wednesday as workers learned their strike was over after 41 days.
Before United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain made his announcement, the workers from the Ford plant made their way across the street to UAW Local 900. When the group left the building, many were relieved.
"They were clapping, cheering, everybody ready to go back to work," said Sharnece Wagner, a Ford employee who had been off the job for the full 41 days.
Wagner, a mother of a 2-year-old, expressed relief at the prospect of returning to a sense of normalcy.
While the Ford strike is over, many other UAW workers remain on the picket line.
At the Stellantis site in Sterling Heights, Antonio Phillips said he hopes the Ford contract might pave the way for a similar outcome for his colleagues.
"My thing is, if they get a good deal, a good tentative agreement with them, then GM and Stellantis can go ahead and pattern off of that. The quicker it's done, the quicker we're back to working, making money, the companies making money, and we go back to business as usual," said Phillips.
He said that while they are hopeful, they only went on strike this week and have plenty of energy to see the strike-through.
In response to the Ford strike ending, General Motors said, "We are working constructively with the UAW to reach a tentative agreement as soon as possible."
In a statement, Stellantis responded with, "We remain committed to working toward a tentative agreement that gets everyone back to work as soon as possible."