Michael Martinez

Ford pegged the cost of its four-and-a-half-year deal with the UAW at US $8.8 billion — double its expectation — while GM said its two new North American labour contracts would raise expenses by US $9.3 billion.

Ford said the UAW's new contract would increase labour costs by US $8.8 billion, or an average of US $900 per vehicle in 2028.

The deal reached Saturday is expected to match Ford's 25-per-cent average pay hikes and a commitment to reopen the idled Belvidere, Ill., assembly plant.

Ford will discuss the financial impact of the strike, expected to top US$1 billion, when it reports third-quarter earnings Thursday afternoon.

If ratified, the deal would provide roughly 57,000 hourly workers with 25-per-cent raises over four years and bring an end to asix-week-old strike.

UAW President Shawn Fain ordered 5,000 workers to walk out Tuesday at Arlington Assembly, which builds the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.

The move is part of Ford's push to simplify its business to deliver on the growth plan it laid out in 2021.

Ford Motor Co.'s executive chair says the monthlong strike will devastate communities across the U.S. and harm the economy if it continues.

The union announced the walkout, effective immediately, late Wednesday on social media, saying Ford "refuses to make further movement in bargaining."

Ford said it was offering to increase temporary workers' pay 26 per cent to US$21 an hour, vs. US$20 in the last publicly known proposal, and raise most full-time workers' pay by "more than" the 20 per cent over four years it previously offered.

About 7,000 workers at a GM plant in Lansing, Mich., and Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant are joining the strike Friday. They build the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator.

UAW President Shawn Fain plans to announce another wave of workers joining the strike on Friday if he doesn't think talks have been sufficiently productive.

UAW President Shawn Fain said he is not adding new Ford sites to the strike because the automaker had increased its offers for profit-sharing payouts and job security.

The Detroit three defend their positions with fact checks on UAW President Shawn Fain's statements.

UAW President Shawn Fain said workers at more plants would be called to join the strike starting on Friday if the union is not satisfied with the state of negotiations.