LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Michigan News Source) – Just ahead of the announcement of United Auto Workers’ contract negotiations with the Big Three Automakers’, the auto union activated a surprise strike expansion for a major Ford plant in Louisville, Kentucky. 

“We came here today to get another offer from Ford,” said UAW President Shawn Fain, “Unfortunately, this offer was the exact same offer they gave us two weeks ago.  In our position they are not taking us serious.” 

MORE NEWS: Grand Rapids Schools Get “Substantial” Cost Increase in Union-promoted Health Insurance

According to the auto union, Fain called upon the members to strike at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 11, adding an additional 8,700 UAW members to the growing Stand Up Strike. 

“We have been crystal clear, and we have waited long enough, but Ford has not gotten the message,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “It’s time for a fair contract at Ford and the rest of the Big Three. If they can’t understand that after four weeks, the 8,700 workers shutting down this extremely profitable plant will help them understand it.”

The Kentucky Truck plant makes the Ford Super Duty pickups as well as the Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator. 

Ford responded to the strike in a memo that characterized the UAW’s leadership strategy as one causing “reputational damage” and “industrial chaos” to the Detroit 3 automakers. 

“Ford made an outstanding offer that would make a meaningful positive difference in the quality of life for our 57,000 UAW-represented workers, who are already among the best compensated hourly manufacturing workers anywhere in the world,” the memo said. 

Additionally, Ford said that the UAW strike on the Kentucky Plant, “carries serious consequences.” 

MORE NEWS: Isabella County Dems Use Drag Queens To Get Out The Vote

“Kentucky Truck is Ford’s largest plant and one of the largest auto factories in America and the world,” the Dearborn based company memo said. “The vehicles produced at the Louisville-based factory – the F-Series Super Duty, the Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator – generate $25 billion a year in revenue. In addition to affecting approximately 9,000 direct employees at the plant, this work stoppage will generate painful aftershocks – including putting at risk approximately a dozen additional Ford operations and many more supplier operations that together employ well over 100,000 people.” 

The additional strike comes just days after Fain announced no additional strikes on Facebook. 

“I wish I were here to announce a tentative agreement at one or more of these companies, but I do want to be really clear, we are making significant progress,” he said on Facebook Live. “In just three weeks we have moved these companies further than anyone thought was possible.” 

UAW President Fain is expected to host another Facebook Live event at 10 a.m. on Friday sharing bargaining updates.