Mo. UAW approves contract

CLAYCOMO, Mo. -- United Auto Workers at the Ford Motor Co. plant here have overwhelmingly approved a four-year labor agreement.

Sixty-nine percent of those who voted Sunday supported the national deal, said Jim Stoufer, president of United Auto Workers Local 249, which represents 4,700 workers at Ford Motor Co.'s Kansas City Assembly Plant in suburban Claycomo.

The union does not disclose the number of votes cast.

"We are very happy with the national agreement," Stoufer said Monday. "We look forward to turning Ford Motor Company around."

Under the deal, the Claycomo plant will get a new body shop. It also is guaranteed production of the new generation F-150 pickup and the Escape, Mariner and Mazda Tribute through their life cycles.

A majority of Ford workers must approve the contract before it can take effect. Voting, which is taking place at dozens of plants across the country, is expected to be done today or Wednesday.