DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. Government Chair Invoice Ford on Tuesday pushed again on aggressive rhetoric from new UAW officers who’ve tried to place the Detroit 3 automakers as adversaries of the union employees they make use of.

In his inaugural handle to members in March, UAW President Shawn Fain referred to companies such because the Detroit 3 because the union’s “one true enemy” and advised members to arrange for “warfare.” In a digital city corridor final month, Vice President Wealthy Boyer famous how a lot the Detroit 3 CEOs made in relation to the common employee, telling members to “do not forget that once they say we’re household. We’re not household.”

Invoice Ford balked at that characterization.

“That is simply flawed,” he stated on the sidelines of an occasion saying a $5.8 million funding in a catastrophe reduction group. “Each plant I am going to, the members in that plant run up and inform me about their household tales.

“I used to be simply at Kentucky Truck Plant and met with an entire room of multigenerational staff. We’re a household firm, regardless of what anyone says.”

Ford employs extra UAW members and builds extra autos within the U.S. than every other automaker — details executives are fast to tout.

“The day that our staff are thought of my enemy is the day I am going to retire,” Ford stated. “The top of the UAW could contemplate us his enemy, however I am going to by no means contemplate our staff our enemy.”

Contracts at Ford, Basic Motors and Stellantis expire Sept. 14. The union is anticipated to aggressively push for greater wages, higher advantages and extra job protections.

Ford stated he has not but met with Fain, though he speaks “regularly” with Vice President Chuck Browning, who leads the UAW’s Ford division. He stated he is optimistic each side will be capable to attain an settlement.

“I have been a part of each negotiations since 1982, and the rhetoric round this time of yr all the time heats up,” Ford stated. “You simply must combat by way of all that and say, what are the actual points, the place is the frequent floor, and the way can we transfer ahead? And I imagine we’ll do this.”