Kalea Hall and Breana Noble write for the Detroit News:
Workers at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant this week rejected the agreement, with 54.5% voting no. Chris Budnick, 38, of La Grange, Kentucky, a stamping quality inspector at the plant, originally planned to vote no. But after hearing from [Shawn] Fain about the agreement and contemplating the gains further, he ended up voting yes.
“I never thought I would consider a yes vote” on a contract, said Budnick, who is on the steering committee for the Unite All Workers for Democracy Caucus that endorsed Fain for president in this year’s election but remained neutral on the tentative agreement. Fain “made me start thinking about the positive things this contract has. I’m sitting here being selfish and concerned about a few things.”
The provision that brings workers at Sterling Axle, where Budnick used to work, and Rawsonville Components in Ypsilanti up to production wages really changed his mind: “That should’ve had me voting yes right away.”
He still would have liked to see health care coverage extended for his retirement and a wage increase closer to 15% than 11% immediately. And he still had questions about the cost-of-living adjustment.
“Grocery bills have been through the roof and gas prices and everything,” Budnick said. “I did vote in favor of this contract, because the last four contracts alone amounted to this one contract.”
Read more in the Detroit News.