Thousands of United Auto Workers in Kentucky joined the picket line this week as the union expanded its strike to Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville.
The move against Ford's highly profitable truck and SUV plant signaled a major escalation in the labor fight.
Despite weeks of negotiation, Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors have failed to reach a new labor deal with the UAW. But Gov. Andy Beshear is hopeful that can soon change. He argues there's no option but to reach a deal - and he emphasizes it must be a deal that works for both sides.
"The only outcome that works is a win-win," said Beshear on Friday.
"We need a strong UAW - securing good wages and good benefits for our families. We also need a strong Ford that has so many jobs here in the Commonwealth and is building the two largest battery plants on plant Earth," he added.
"The two groups have to come together. Ford can’t exist without the UAW and tens of thousands of UAW members here in Kentucky can’t exist without Ford. So my hope is that they can get behind closed doors, really talk to each other, realize they can’t exist without each other, and come up with something that is fair for everyone," said Beshear. "In the end, we want the best wages and the best benefits for our families. We also need a strong company so that they can employ more of our families."
The Kentucky Truck Plant produces Ford Super Duty pickups and Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. The plant employs 8,700 UAW members.
