CHICAGO—Hundreds of Ford employees, mostly at the Chicago Assembly Plant, will get a historic 48 percent pay raise as the automaker goes on a hiring spree nationwide.
ANN ARBOR, MI—Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in 2014, according to Robotic Industries Association. A total of 27,685 robots valued at $1.6 billion were ordered from North American companies during 2014, an increase of 28 percent in units and 19 percent in dollars over 2013.
DEARBORN, MI—Ford will add 1,550 new jobs at four of its U.S. manufacturing plants to accelerate the production of F-150. Approximately 900 jobs will be added at the company’s Kansas City assembly plant, 150 jobs will be added to its axle factory in Sterling, MI, and 500 will be added at the stamping and assembly plants in Dearborn, MI.
CANTON, MS—Nissan Motor Co. has declined U.S. State Department mediation of its dispute with the United Autoworkers over the union’s attempts to organize Nissan’s assembly plant here.
EVERETT, WA—Four employees at Boeing’s assembly plant here have been fired for allegedly selling and using drugs at the workplace, company officials said.
DETROIT—A massive snowstorm forced many Ford, GM and FCA assembly plants in Michigan to cancel operations for part of Monday because many employees were unable get to work.
WINDSOR, ON—Unifor Local 195 workers have ratified a three-year contract with automotive supplier JD Norman Industries here. The new contract includes a $500 signing bonus and an hourly wage increase of 50 cents for the first two years and 70 cents in the final year.
DETROIT—The Aluminum Association has published a free, comprehensive manual that details the range of joining technologies for assembling aluminum parts in automotive applications.
SARASOTA, FL—The Sarasota and Manatee Manufacturers Association is asking local manufacturers to host internships for school teachers in hopes of creating a better skilled workforce.