By AP
DETROIT –
Ford Motor Co. is restoring college tuition help for factory workers in an effort to settle a dispute with the United Auto Workers union.
Union leaders were told of the move at a meeting Thursday in Chicago.
The company announced the change in a letter to the union that was obtained by The Associated Press.
The UAW agreed to give up the tuition payments and make other concessions to help Ford through tough financial times last year.
But the company's fortunes have improved since then. In December it restored merit raises, tuition benefits and 401-K matches for white collar workers.
That brought a protest from the union, which said the move violated its contract and was unfair because union workers had given up similar benefits.