Second UAW chapter turns down Ford deal

A United Auto Workers local chapter in Chicago said its members have turned down a four-year deal with Ford Motor Co. in a landslide vote. At the Torrence Avenue factory, which builds the Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Ford Explorer, 2,317 members of UAW Local 551 voted against the deal, while 539 voted for it, Crain's Chicago Businesses reported Thursday. The local was the second UAW chapter to turn down the contract. It was also rejected by UAW Local 900 in Wayne, Mich. Workers in Chicago turned down the deal that would have included a Ford commitment to add 1,100 jobs to the plant out of a total of 12,000 jobs the contract would require Ford to add nationwide over the next four years. The agreement includes a $6,000 contract signing bonus and a raise from $14 per hour to $19.28 per hour for new hires that is gradually phased in over the four-year contract. Ford also agreed to a minimum profit-sharing plan giving hourly workers $3,700 for the first half of 2011 and at least $1,500 for each year after that. There are 58 local UAW chapters in the country representing 41,000 workers. The voting for all 58 chapters is expected to be completed by Oct. 18.