UNIFOR Ratifies, UAW Is Quiet, Ford Reacts To EV Demand Drop, New Collar Workers

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Welcome to another amazing week in Retail Automotive. Today we discuss the weekend happenings in the ongoing strikes in Detroit and Canada. We also talk about the big changes in EV demand, as well as WalMarts approach to finding and investing in talent. 

Show Notes with links:

• While Canadian union UNIFOR ratifies the GM deal by over 80% getting factory workers back to work, all is quiet on the UAW front over the weekend. Is it possible that no news is good news?
  • After a brief 12 hour strike, a deal ensuring a nearly 20% wage increases for longtime workers over a three-year period, along with bonuses and other benefits has been ratified by the Canadian union. 
  • Union President, Lana Payne said at a press conference, “This agreement reflects true collective bargaining. Our goal was to bring more fairness and equity to auto workplaces and to lift everyone up. We did that.” 
  • Meanwhile, there have been no new strikes or moves announced by the UAW since Friday since Ford announced they were at the end of their bargaining rope. 
  • As of last week, over 39% of parts suppliers to the industry have said they have laid off workers as a result of the ongoing dispute and say that number could reach as high as 70%
    
    
    
• A pair of Wall Street Journal articles over the weekend are highlighting the ongoing struggle to separate the EV hype from actual consumer demand as a leaked internal memo may be revealing the reality of a significant drop in Ford F150 Lightning orders.
  • While EV sales rose by 51% this year, the rate has decelerated and inventories are accumulating. Automakers are adjusting expectations, with some shifting focus to hybrids. Initial EV enthusiasts have made purchases, leaving a more cautious buyer base. This slowdown contrasts last year's demand surge. 
  • “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that our sales for the Lightning have tanked,” a UAW official wrote in a leaked memo, which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal. 
    • Ford is considering reducing shifts at its F-150 Lightning pickup plant due to declining sales after an initially strong performance.
    • The electric truck's sales have recently dropped, with a 45.8% decrease in U.S. vehicle sales in the third quarter.
    • Production had halted during the summer for a six-week expansion, affecting deliveries.
      
      
• Retail behemoth Wal Mart is shifting its focus from degrees to skills, offering more short-form certificates, and investing $1 billion in career training by 2026. 
  • Currently, 75% of Walmart's salaried managers in the U.S. started in hourly positions.
  • Walmart is expanding its education benefits, now offering 25 short-form certificates in collaboration with Guild.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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