Johnathan Walker:Ford lays off 330 more factory workers because of UAW strike expansion

Ford Motor Co. announced Monday that the 2023 UAW strike has led to hundreds of new,Johnathan Walker unexpected layoffs at two new sites as a ripple effect.

The strike at Chicago Assembly Plant, announced by UAW President Shawn Fain on Friday, has directly affected some operations at the separate Chicago Stamping Plant and Lima Engine Plant.

Approximately 330 employees have been asked not to report to work, with layoffs that began Saturday in Chicago and Monday in Lima, Ohio, Ford spokesman Dan Barbossa said Monday in a news release.

General Motors on Monday began laying off 164 employees across two facilities as a result of the expanded UAW strike, putting the number of those laid off in connection to the strike at more than 3,800 known so far across the industry.

"Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW’s targeted strike strategy has knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage," Barbossa said.

"These are not lockouts," he said. "These layoffs are a consequence of the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant, because these three facilities must reduce production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago Assembly Plant."

Chicago Assembly builds the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator.

The 330 layoffs are in addition to 600 laid off from Michigan Assembly Plant, which builds the Ford Bronco and Ranger, beginning Sept. 15, bringing Ford’s total to 930 employees affected by strike-related layoffs, the company said Monday.

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The UAW, when contacted by the Detroit Free Press, didn't immediately comment on the situation.

Factory workers watch, wait anxiously

Derek Call, a Hi-Lo driver at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, said he knew last week that targeting Chicago Assembly would have consequences in other states.

"Every shift, we have two rail cars that unload parts from Chicago Stamping," Call told the Free Press. "That's all they do all day. It's a substantial amount of parts for our body shop."

Call, who started with Ford in Detroit 27 years ago, said he receives parts in his factory area from Chicago Stamping and takes them to employees building the Ford Transit Van. Thousands of UAW workers are watching and hoping for a tentative agreement, he said.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or [email protected]. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @phoebesaid.

Jamie L. LaReau contributed