Ford Ahead Working Together

Working Together

The Ford team has every reason to be proud. Our resolve, toughness and competitiveness were behind our company’s ability not only to survive the economic downturn, but also to emerge stronger — with the best product line in our history. We all know that by continuing this collaboration, we will grow profitably together and Ford will remain a strong, world-class automaker.

IN THIS SECTION

Profitable Growth For All

IN MOTION

UAW-Ford Employees talk about What It Takes To Build A Quality Vehicle.

Ford believes in the importance of an organized workforce. As a company, we have a long history of working collaboratively with the UAW, starting with our first agreement more than 70 years ago. In recent years, the UAW and Ford partnered to put in place more competitive labor agreements throughout our U.S. plants. This was a key factor in Ford’s ability to avoid bankruptcy and the need for taxpayer assistance, and a reason why we are profitable today.

Ford employees are among the most productive, successful and justifiably proud in the industry. Behind the company’s resilience during the recent economic downturn were over 150,000 Ford global team members working day in and day out to continually improve our business and our products. Our people helped us implement the plan to build an exciting, viable and profitable Ford and they will continue to help our company compete and grow in the years ahead.

Since 1999, Ford has reduced workplace injuries by more than 90 percent.
Ford’s quality in the U.S. improved 11 percent last year, versus 2 percent for the industry average.
Ford employs more than 40,000 hourly employees in the U.S.
Each American autoworker supports more than nine other jobs.
Ford has funded our $7.1 billion healthcare obligation for hourly retirees in full and ahead of schedule.
Ford has paid an average of $1,988 in profit sharing for hourly employees since 1983.
In June 2010, Ford and the UAW agreed to reinstate the valued Employee Tuition Assistance Program for eligible hourly employees.

Ford employees have also been instrumental to improving the quality of our products over the years. Quality starts on the line. That’s where our reputation is made, for product excellence that drivers will ultimately feel on the road. By these measures, Ford vehicles can compete with any other being sold today, and Ford employees are the biggest reason for this.

Ford invented mass production as we know it today. A century ago, our assembly lines produced vehicles so efficiently that what had formerly been a toy of the rich became available to everyone. One of the true revolutions of our manufacturing process back then was that it allowed for the production of affordable transportation. Ford also offered employees who produced our cars a competitive wage, so they could afford what they built. That spirit remains an objective at Ford — as evidenced by the Profitable Growth For All business objective that guides our strategy. Achieving this goal is essential to the vitality of hundreds of communities in which our factories, our parts warehouses and our dealers are based. It is also essential to the hundreds of community organizations Ford supports in partnership with the UAW with our outreach and charitable giving.

Our partnership with the UAW is one of our greatest assets. By continuing to work together, Ford will remain a strong, world-class automaker.