1968 Mustang

Ford UAW Labor problems 1967

1967 Strike With information by Ford Motor Company ARCHIVES DIVISIONS

On September 6, 1967 UAW calls a company-wide strike and it continues until Nov 11, 1967.Here are some of the facts that led to the strike, the negotiations that led to the end of the Strike as reported in the Company newspaper The Ford World.

We will follow along starting on August 29,1967 Vol.4 No.17 issuse.

August 29,1967
With the upcoming end of the current contract with the United Auto Workers Ford Motor Company offered a new contract to the 150,000 workers represented by the UAW.This contract was offered conditionally on approval of all National and local issuse resolved and would run for 3 years.
The main elements of the offer :

an immediate 13 cent hourly raise

Special pay increase for Skilled Tradsmen
-to be negotiated-

Raises of 2.8% in the 2nd & 3rd Years

New Cost of Living Formula with a 6 cent annual limitation on increases
that would guarantee higher allowance in the 2nd & 3rd years

Improved Supplemental Unemployment Benefit,including
improved short work week benefits of 80% of straight time pay

Income protection for up to 5 years of disability resulting from a new disability clause in the Group Insurance plan

Increased Survivor and other Benefits

Improved Surgical-Medical Coverage

Substantially higher Retirement Benefits

Vol. 4 No. 19-Sept 15,1967 Ford World

(quote from edition) "An eerie---and costly slience continued this week at the Ford Plants across the country.On assembly lines sit new '68 models unfinished and untouched since 159,800 hourly employes represented by the United Auto Workers walked off their jobs at 11:59PM Sept 6."

At most Assembly Plants a skelton crew was maintaing by agreement to keep certian operations at a minimum as to not damage systems such as heating,electricity and at the Glass Plant a seven man crew maintained the furnace where molten glass was stored.Shuting down the Coke Oven took a week slowly dropping the heat untilled the ovens were sufficiently cooled as not to cause damage.At the The Rouge 300 workers a day maintained the operations compare to the normal 32,461 Workers.

Vol 4 No. 22 Oct.22,1967 NEW PACT REACHED

General Wage Increase of 20 Cents

Added 30 cents for skilled Tradesmens

9 1/2 to 17cent and hour in the 2nd year and 10 cent to 17 1/2 the 3rd.

Cost of Living Allowances

Higher Pension benefits tied to job classifications

Added paid Holiday each in 1967,'69 & '70 with provisions

12 additional minutes of relief time for certain operations.

Improved Medical Plan with Prescrition Drug Program,Fully Paid Hosital-Surgical-Medical Coverage

Increased Survivor benefits

This Contract will expire Sept 14th,1970

The 66 day Strike offically ends on November 11,1967, the last of the 101 bargaining units settle local issues and ratifieds the agreement
1968 Intro Day Show Goes On Sept.20,1967

With the current UAW strike Ford dealer around the Country went all out to launch the 1968 Model Year.On Sept 22,1967.Dealers on site inventories were lower than normal due to the Strike but all Dealers had a supply of '68's to show and sell.
Of interest a St Louis Dealer had the Pennant-winning Cardinals greeted customers and a live cougar was a "traffic stopper" at a Columbia S.C showroom.
American Airlines Stewardesses showed off thier new uniforms at the Divisions 550 dealers.Stark Hickey West in Detriot Mich suspended a new 68 Mustang 50 feet in the air from a crane,a Minnesota dealer gave away a Model T as a door prize.One Showroon on the East Coast was transformed into a Go-Go Disco for Ford Customers.

Ford had 1.5 million visitors and sold 19,626 new cars and truck on Intro Day.
Noting the 225,00 new cars (1967 & 1968) and 190,000 used vehicles in stock Ford Division Cheif M.S.McLaughlin said "Our Dealer will make every effort to keep Ford customers from being inconvenienced by the strike."
E.F.Laux explained "the supply of new 1967 cars is adequate,but shortages are begining to occur in the 1968 models" dealers have a 30 day supply.
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Price Increase 1968

The Suggested Retail Prices of the 1968 Model Year was increased an average of $114 (3.9%) more than the '67's reflecting a rise in the cost of Labor and Materials.Labor itself had risen 45% since 1959.The profit margins had fallen over time, in the year 1966 sales climbed 6% but reported net income dropped 12%.
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37 Day Strike Longest Oct.13,1967

Since June 20,1941 this is the longest strike in Ford history now entering 37 days and its second month.It is reported that Employees have lost wages of more than $140 million dollars and each lost work day adds another 5.2 million to the total.
This is by-far the most costly strike than all since 1944.The 1st National strike lasted 14 days and over 10,000 workers lost $29million in wages.

Iacocca,Lundy New Executive VP's
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The Call Back Vol 4 No.24 Nov 17,1967

With the end of the strike it was now time to get product back into place.Suppliers responded so quickly that there was a shortage of boxcars for a few day.The Assembly Plants alone use more than 50,000 different parts and componets.
One Personnel Supervisor set up recalls on radio and newspapers.Knowing where to run the ads he had them placed on the Sport section of the Newspaper because he "..figured most of our guys would be checking on the Ohio State scores and Frank Ryans passing..."
By this time production of new 1968 Cars and Trucks were at 11,000 per day and ahead of expecations with a mid-January projected output of 15,500 units per day
It was said that Ford lost more than 600,00 vehicles due to the strike in all Divisions.

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We would Like to thank the Archive Division of Ford Motor Company for researching and sending the above information.I also requested same from the UAW but at this date (Feb. 2,'02) have not rec'ved any information from them.