Brothers and Sisters,
Last month the Ford Motor Company made the announcement that the Oakville Assembly Complex would shift from its original plan to produce a three row BEV passenger vehicle in 2027 to producing the F-Series Super Duty Truck in mid-2026. In addition to this announcement, your Local Leadership provided the details of the Transition Blueprint & Additional Re-Tool Extension Provisions. These provisions can still be reviewed under my July 18th report and Lay-off Resources and Info (New) July updates.
Since the announcement, the Ford Motor Company has been completing a full site assessment to determine future plant layout for each department, including the new onsite stamping plant. This assessment should be completed sometime in September. Many of our members understandably have questions about future plant population and where they are on the seniority list. There is information that your leadership will be attaining throughout the coming months regarding cycle line layouts for each department and departmental work patterns that will help us better determine more accurate number of the expected plant population for 2026 and beyond.
In addition to the plant operating patterns and overall plant population, another factor in where our members are on the seniority list will be the number of members who retire during the months and years to come. As presented in the Transition Blueprint & Additional Re-Tool Extension Provisions
- Such employees who do not elect to retire will be re-canvassed once more prior to January 2025. If any of these employees decline to accept the retirement incentive, they will be ineligible for any future retirement canvasses during this period.
- Commencing in January 2025, only employees who become retirement eligible on or after January 1, 2025, will be canvassed. Such employees will be canvassed once to determine their interest in accepting a retirement incentive.
As soon as the Ford Motor Company made the announcement on April 4th to postpone the three row BEV at Oakville, your Union Leadership both Local and National went to work to find a solution for our members. The solution achieved, shortened the plant down time, increased the overall investment commitment and secured the iconic F-Series truck for Oakville to produce. In addition, we increased and enhanced the provisions of our 2023 negotiated income security Transition Blueprint Re-Tool Provisions.
Your Union Leadership has not stopped working and we continue to engage the company to find opportunities for the Oakville Assembly Complex to grow and increase capacity. Our members need to know that our objective is to ensure that all our members are back to work with the launch of the Oakville Super Duty. As always, I will share relevant and accurate information with the members as it becomes available.
Marc Brennan
Ford Council Vice Chairperson
OAC Plant Chairperson, Unifor Local 707
Office Phone # (905)845-2511 ext # 3350 | Company Cell # (289)681-7654 | Union Cell # (905)407-0475
Union Email: mbrennan@uniforlocal707.ca |
Company Email: mbrenn10@ford.com