Ford Motor Co. is pledging to invest $80 million into its stamping plant in Hamburg, as part of a tentative deal with the United Auto Workers, according to the union.
The company will be making a total of $8.1 billion in product commitments and other investments at its facilities over the life of the tentative deal, the UAW said.
Ford’s plant on Route 5 makes stamped parts for vehicles assembled at a variety of facilities.
The $80 million investment would enhance the Hamburg plant’s viability, ensuring new production as older products are gradually phased out.
The tentative deal with Ford also gives the union the right to strike over a plant closing, helping to protect the jobs of workers at facilities like the one in Hamburg.
“I feel anytime an investment is made it is always positive,” said Ray Jensen, assistant director of Amherst-based UAW Region 9. “It will ensure (the Hamburg plant) will have work for the foreseeable future.”
The UAW outlined its pledged investments in a contract summary the union published for members at Ford facilities to review before voting. Members need to ratify the deal in order for it to take effect.
UAW Local 897 represents 748 hourly workers at the Hamburg plant, which is a cornerstone of the region’s automotive manufacturing sector.
In the summary, the UAW said during negotiations, its bargaining team was “focused on product and investments for all of our plants to secure UAW jobs. They realized the important issues of the transition to electric vehicles and all of the associated work that goes into building them, as well as getting investments into those plants that will continue to make (internal combustion engine) vehicles.”
The UAW’s contract summary of the planned $80 million investment in the Hamburg plant states:
- Stampings for the Edge and Nautilus will continue through their planned product lifecycles.
- Stampings for all-new electric vehicles would be added.
- Stampings for the…
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