* Michigan, Wayne assembly plants back changes
* Two Cleveland engine plants, stamping plant back changes
* Votes scheduled over the next week
(Adds details on Ford, industry outlook)
By David Bailey
DETROIT, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Workers at five Ford Motor Co
(F.N) U.S. plants represented by the United Auto Workers have
backed a contract aimed at bringing the automaker's labor costs
in line with rivals General Motors Co [GM.UL] and Chrysler.
These early returns come as the proposed changes to Ford's
2007 contract with the union could face a bigger pushback from
the 41,000 Ford U.S. UAW workers who have made a series of
givebacks to the automaker since 2005.
More votes are scheduled over the next week. In the four
years since the financial crises began for U.S. automakers, UAW
workers have ratified negotiated givebacks for each company
despite sometimes heated opposition.
Workers at Ford's Michigan and Wayne assembly plants near
Detroit voted to ratify the contract, said a source familiar
with the process who was not authorized to speak because the
ratification has not been completed.
At three Cleveland area plants, workers backed the proposed
contract changes 61 percent to 39 percent, UAW Local President
Mike Gammella said. The local represents about 1,300 workers at
two engine plants and a casting plant.
"Initially there was a lot of pushback, but once people
heard the details they supported it," Gammella said of the
proposed changes. "They weren't doing cartwheels over it, but
they understood."
The turnout was more than 80 percent, Gammella said.
Other locals have scheduled votes through next week on the
tentative agreement the UAW and Ford announced Oct. 13.
Approval requires a majority of the votes cast by workers.
The proposed changes include a no-strike clause, wage
freeze for entry-level workers and other concessions. Ford also
made some production commitments and is offering a one-time
$1,000 bonus next year if the automaker meets quality targets.
Ford's UAW-represented workers agreed to concessions
earlier in 2009 the automaker said would save it about $500
million per year.
However, Ford said agreements GM and Chrysler made with the
UAW around their government-supported reorganizations would put
the company at a disadvantage over the long term and sought
more cuts to bring costs in line with those rivals.
"I'm hearing more opposition than in March," said Gary
Walkowicz, a bargaining committee member at the local that
represents workers at Ford's Dearborn Truck plant. He has
opposed the changes since the beginning.
Analysts see Ford as in a better competitive position than
GM or Chrysler. The automaker has not taken emergency U.S.
government loans and has said that it expects to be at least
break-even in 2011.
U.S. auto industry sales have been in a decline since 2005
that deepened with the U.S. recession. Sales are expected to
fall to just above 10 million vehicles in 2009 from 16.1
million in 2007, with a gradual recovery starting in 2010.
UAW leaders left the ratification vote open-ended. National
and regional leaders have been meeting with workers at the
plants to go over the details.
Ford shares fell 13 cents, or 1.68 percent, to close at
$7.63 on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by David Bailey; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, Matthew
Lewis and Richard Chang)
