Ford Hires 850 To Build New F-150 Ahead Of 2015 UAW Negotiations

by Cameron Aubernon

October 14th, 2014 3:24 AM

ford hires 850 to build new f 150 ahead of 2015 uaw negotiations

In anticipation of high demand for the 2015 Ford F-150 — as well as covering its bases ahead of negotiations with the United Auto Workers in 2015 — the Blue Oval is hiring 850 employees to help assemble the reborn king of Truck Mountain at the automaker’s Dearborn, Mich. plant.

Bloomberg reports the new hires bring the total of hourly employees brought into the fold since 2011 to 14,000, 2,000 more than pledged to the UAW three years ago, when it promised to hire 12,000 by 2015. The 850 will be split up, with 500 headed for assembly, nearly 300 to stamping, and over 50 allocated to Dearborn Diversified.

The hiring spree is in part due to the two-tier system put into place seven years ago, with new Ford employees making just over half of the $27/hour wage veteran employees are paid. The system will likely be on the table when the UAW begins negotiations with the Detroit Two and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles next year.

The total number of employees working for Ford stand at 84,000 in North America, up from 75,000 in 2011, when the pledge was made.

#F-150 #Ford #NewHires #Pledges #Uaw #UnitedAutoWorkers

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15 of 17 comments

Big Al from Oz on Oct 14, 2014

With the new production techniques these jobs maybe required until Ford can nut out new processes. It might not all be due to expected vehicle demand. Ford is feeling it's way with this vehicle on the floor. Do you think Ford will tell the complete truth. Like I stated this vehicle will cost Ford some dosh, this is the beginning of the outlay.

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- DenverMike on Oct 14, 2014
  
  It was expected from the start, but a drop in the bucket, relatively speaking. The trucks leave Ford with about 2.5 Billion dollars in profits annually, pre tax, for the last 20+ years.
  
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- STRATOS on Oct 14, 2014
  
  I agree with you Big Al.If this vehicle is built the same way as Jaguar ,where the body panels have to be baked in an oven and the steel can never come in direct contact with aluminum ,this truck will require more time and manpower to build in large numbers.
  
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- Bill Wade on Oct 14, 2014
  
  @STRATOS As I learned with my old Land Rover 88. Never could figure out why the Brits think they're so great.
  
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Thornmark on Oct 14, 2014

Some analysts doubt Ford will be able to fully pass the extra cost on to the customer. The means shrinking profitability on their most important product But then again, why should pickups be so outrageously costly and profitable. It does seem that the market share eating Ram is making the sector more buyer friendly and we'll see if their eco-diesel will still get class leading mpg against the aluminum Fords.

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- Scoutdude on Oct 15, 2014
  
  No Ford told analysts that they were not passing the full cost onto the sticker price, at least in lower trim levels. The higher trim levels on the other hand are increasing in price more than in cost. The big unknown is how the incentives will stack up which are expected in this segment. If this truck is that good they should be able to more than make up the difference in lower average incentives than the competition. However the real reason for this is that Ford is trying to get and keep ahead of the CAFE curve, failing to do so will result in fines which would reduce profit margins, likely as much or more than the cost of the aluminum did.
  
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- Redav on Oct 15, 2014
  
  @Scoutdude And as seen with GM's interest in going aluminum as well, they are also squeezing the competition. If Ford can force everyone to also spend more on their trucks, then the disadvantage of lower margins disappears--either they are equally competitive or everyone raises prices together.
  
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Mikey on Oct 14, 2014

I find myself agreeing with AL. I can't believe I wrote that!. The idea is to hire new people, to free up your experienced folks. During a launch/ramp up you need extra experienced hands, in crucial areas on the line.

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Ponchoman49 on Oct 14, 2014

I never took notice before but the front end of this new F-150 is sure fugly, especially the headlights.

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- Drzhivago138 on Oct 14, 2014
  
  That's what a lot of us say when the first models come out. Then it grows on you and you get used to it. Not saying your opinion is wrong. Just that in 6 years or so we'll be saying the same thing all over again.
  
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- DenverMike on Oct 14, 2014
  
  It's how the whole thing flows. Don't just focus on any one thing. Although I would've gagged with more projector, cat eyes. They were played out in '02. But if they'd gone all conservative, or same old/same old, the other half would've complained. But when headlamps are a deal breaker, you're not in the prime demo anyways.
  
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- Big Al from Oz on Oct 15, 2014
  
  @ponchoman49 I must agree with you. No matter how you look at it it doesn't flow. It's very flat. The front end looks like something that should be miniaturized and used on some home entertainment system. I suppose Ford still have to learn how to use aluminium. Manufacturing flatter shapes would be cheaper and easier. So, I suppose the first of the new F Series will be practice vehicles. Would you buy one? Not for a year or two, let others have the problems.
  
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- Redav on Oct 15, 2014
  
  I don't care for modern trucks, particularly the "Now you're a man--a manny manny man!" styling. But I don't find the new F-150 styling offensive. It's just "more"--more grille, more headlights, more manly, more "more."
  
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- Bball40dtw on Oct 15, 2014
  
  @Big Al from Oz I built out my preferred combination, and it stickered for $45K (SuperCab, 4x4, XLT FX4, 5.0 or 3.5EB, Nav, spray bedliner, etc). I don't find that unreasonable based on how I loaded it up. I tested a 2014 SuperCab, and I can get it in my garage. I'm a few years off from buying another large vehicle. By the time I'm ready, I'll probably just pick up an off lease Expedition.
  
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- Big Al from Oz on Oct 15, 2014
  
  @bbal40dtw, Your comment really has little to do with the aesthetics we were discussing. The cost is irrelevant...............or is it a product biased comment? When all else fails talk price?
  
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