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Big 3 Announcement of Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits Applauded by Ford's Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Employees

8 June 2000

Big 3 Announcement of Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits Applauded by Ford's Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Employees

    DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford Motor Company's thousands of gay, lesbian and 
bisexual employees welcome the recent announcement from the U.S. Big 3 
automotive companies to provide partial same-sex domestic partner benefits for 
their U.S. employees.  Ford GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees) is one 
of seven company-sanctioned employee resource groups at Ford Motor Company, with
active chapters in the U.S., Great Britain and Germany. One of GLOBE's top 
priorities since forming in 1994 has been obtaining domestic partner benefits.

    Aware of how domestic partner benefit announcements can cause adverse
public reaction, Ford GLOBE is truly proud of Ford's leadership among the Big
3 in securing benefits.  Partnered gay and lesbian employees of Ford, General
Motors, and DaimlerChrysler are now one giant step closer to being on equal
footing with their married co-workers in terms of compensation. Cindy Clardy,
GLOBE External Communications Officer noted, "Full domestic partnership
benefits are simply equal pay for equal work and are the price of admission
for any company which seeks to successfully market to gay and lesbian
consumers."

    Ford is one of 3,422 companies in the U.S. to provide same-sex domestic
partner benefits, and the first in the Big 3 auto companies to implement them.
Domestic partner benefits help attract brand loyalty within the $514 billion
gay and lesbian market, helping to optimize such recent Ford marketing efforts
as corporate sponsorship of the 2000 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

    Ford GLOBE thanks the management of Ford Motor Company for this major step
towards equitable benefits for all employees regardless of sexual orientation.
In particular we thank Ford CEO Jac Nasser, Vice President of Human Resources
David Murphy, Director of Diversity and Personnel Relations Jim Suber, and
Ford Vice President of Global Business Development Jim Donaldson, who serves
as GLOBE's executive champion.  GLOBE also thanks UAW President Stephen
Yokich, UAW Vice President National Ford Department Ron Gettelfinger, and the
United Auto Workers for ratifying last fall's Ford-UAW contract in which union
and management agreed to investigate implementing same-sex domestic partner
benefits during the current four-year contract.  "Our heartfelt appreciation
is sent to GLOBE members who served on GLOBE's Domestic Partner Benefits Task
Force," asserted task force chairperson Robert Wagner. "We thank them for the
months spent researching and writing a position paper directed to Ford upper
management."

    Ford GLOBE and Ford Motor Company have worked in partnership over the past
six years to achieve some common goals. Ford was the first and only U.S. auto
company listed on the 1999 Gay and Lesbian Values Index of top 100 companies
working on gay issues.  Ford was also recognized on a 1999 Advocate list of
top 25 companies for gay employees.  Domestic partner benefits, coupled with a
Ford recruiting presence at such events as the annual Midwest Bisexual Lesbian
Gay Transgender College Conference, and corporate sponsorship of April's
National Lesbian and Gay MBA Conference will help assure Ford as an employer
of choice for the best and brightest talent available regardless of sexual
orientation.