UAW strike update: 400 Michigan Ford workers laid off

More Ford employees have been laid off as the UAW strike nears the end of its third week.

The automaker said Wednesday that 350 workers at the Livonia Transmission Plant and 50 workers at the Sterling Axle Plant will be out of work beginning Thursday.

"Our production system is highly interconnected, which means the UAW’s targeted strike strategy has knock-on effects for facilities that are not directly targeted for a work stoppage," Ford said in a statement.

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"We want to make sure our workers come out of these negotiations with two things – a record contract and a strong future," said Jim Farley, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company.

Ford has now laid off 1,330 employees since the strike began Sept. 15.

This most recent round of layoffs comes after UAW members at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant began striking last Friday. Before that, the only Ford facility targeted by the union was Michigan Assembly in Wayne, Mich. 

The UAW started the strike with workers at only three facilities - one Ford plant, one Stellantis plant, and one General Motors plant - walking off the job. Each Friday, the union has added more workers to the picket line based on how negotiations were progressing. It is not yet known if the union plans to do the same this Friday.

As of Thursday, UAW members at 43 Big Three facilities nationwide are on strike, and all three automakers have laid off employees. 

Read more UAW strike coverage here.