Half of Votes Counted, Ford Labor Contract Leans Into ‘Yes’ Territory

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Source: NYT

The ratification outlook for a proposed four-year labor agreement between the Ford Motor Company and the United Automobile Workers union improved on Friday, but opposition at several large plants that have yet to finish voting could still be enough to sink the deal.

As of late Friday morning, the contract was supported by 50.8 percent of voters so far, the union said on a Facebook page dedicated to its negotiations with Ford. It said 6,271 “yes” votes had been counted, compared with 6,085 “no” votes.

Until then, the “no” votes had been leading after workers at three large plants — one in Wayne, Mich., and two in Chicago — rejected the deal, largely over complaints that most workers would not receive wage increases. The swing into positive territory happened when 79 percent of workers at a plant in Flat Rock, Mich., voted in favor of the contract, according to the Web site of Local 3000 there; that is the largest margin of approval reported publicly so far.

The Flat Rock plant, which makes the Ford Mustang and a Mazda sedan as part of a joint venture, is in line to begin building the Ford Fusion midsize sedan if the contract passes, saving it from layoffs or possible closing after Mazda ends production there next year.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/15/business/half-of-votes-counted-ford-labor-contract-leans-into-yes-territory.html