STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Ford has reached a tentative deal with the UAW and the remaining workers on strike are hoping their companies will quickly follow suit.
The nearly 7,000 workers at the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant walked off the job Monday. While their striking journey is only just beginning, Ford's is coming to an end. The workers at the Ford Wayne Assembly Plant have been on strike for nearly six weeks.
"I'm grateful," striking Stellantis employee Sheu Shea Anderson said about Ford holding down the line for so long.
Anderson and other striking Stellantis employees say they're happy that Ford has reached a deal, but wish it was them getting that new contract as well.
"I wish it would’ve started with us. But at least..somebody has a deal," Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant employee Brandon Smith said. "Some news is good news.”
They hope one deal being reached sets a pattern and this trickles down to the other two companies.
"It's usually a domino effect you know for the most part. We want to stay optimistic that if they can do it, then we could reach something tentative," Anderson said. “Let’s go with the other two of the three."
Stellantis and GM have released statements regarding the tentative deal Ford reached with the UAW:
We remain committed to working toward a tentative agreement that gets everyone back to work as soon as possible.
We are working constructively with the UAW to reach a tentative agreement as soon as possible.
