A tentative agreement gives the United Automobile Workers union members at the carmaker their best terms in decades. But the cost to Ford will be manageable, industry experts said.
The three U.S. automakers say they are already at a disadvantage to nonunion rivals while labor leaders hope that big gains in negotiations will inspire workers in Southern states to unionize.
The carmaker made less money in the third quarter as it cut car prices to attract buyers amid stronger competition.
Mr. Ford, the executive chairman of Ford Motor, said nonunion automakers would make gains against Michigan automakers because of strikes by the United Automobile Workers union.
The company said it had reached the limit of what it could offer to the United Automobile Workers union, which has expanded its strike to Ford’s largest plant.
The United Automobile Workers said on Friday it had secured an important concession from General Motors regarding the contracts of workers at battery factories.
Chinese electric vehicle companies like Nio are pulling ever further ahead, partly through government support but also rapid technological advances.
Vivek Ramaswamy will end his day in Michigan with a rally opposing plans by a Chinese subsidiary to build an electric vehicle battery factory in the state.
Firestorms over Chinese investments, like a battery factory in Green Charter Township, are erupting as officials weigh the risks of taking money from an adversary.
Analysts expected a decline in sales for the quarter. Still, the dip may raise concerns about flagging demand.