By Doug Cunningham

UAW Ford workers have ratified the tentative contract with Ford. The UAW says it protected wages, benefits and seniority for active members and says it also provides income and health care security for retired Ford UAW members. But as the publication "In These Times" notes, the U.S. auto contracts negotiated by the UAW this year effectively repealed the landmark 1950 "Treaty of Detroit" contract. That one not only lifted up auto workers' families with good wages and benefits, but set a high bar that became the defacto manufacturing wage and benefits standard in America. Thanks to these 2007 contract agreements thousands of the next generation of UAW autoworkers will earn half what current workers earn and will have no company-guaranteed health care in retirement and less retirement security.