UAW members at the first Ford plant to go on strike vote overwhelmingly to approve new contract

By TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Autoworkers at the first Ford factory to go on strike have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a tentative contract agreement reached with the company. Members of Local 900 at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, west of Detroit voted 81% in favor of the four year-and-eight month deal, according to Facebook postings by local members on Thursday. Two union officials confirmed the accuracy of the percentage. Neither wanted to be identified because the vote totals had not been made public. About 3,300 UAW members went on strike at the plant Sept. 15 after the union’s contract with Ford expired. They remained on the picket lines until Oct. 25, when the union announced the tentative deal with Ford. Voting at Ford will continue until Nov. 17.