Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it furloughed another 150 employees at its Sterling Axle Plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan, due to the ongoing United Auto Workers strike against its Kentucky Truck Plant.
“This layoff is a consequence of the strike, because Sterling Axle Plant must reduce its production of parts that would normally be shipped to Kentucky Truck Plant,” the automaker said in an emailed statement.
Ford has temporarily laid off 418 of the nearly 2,200 employees at its Sterling Axle Plant. The automaker said it had furloughed more than 2,700 autoworkers as of Oct. 18.
UAW President Shawn Fain last week asked 8,700 union members to strike Ford’s truck plant in Louisville, Kentucky, following weeks of complex labor negotiations between the union and the Detroit Three automakers — General Motors, Ford and Stellantis.
The strike stopped production of some of Ford’s most popular and profitable vehicles, including Ford F-250–F-550 Super Duty Trucks, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. According to Ford, the factory produces $25 billion in annual revenue.
At the time, Ford said the strike would have a ripple effect, potentially affecting a dozen additional Ford operations and suppliers that employ over 100,000 people. Days later, Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford called for an end to the strike.
