Ford's executive chairman called on UAW to end the strike: the company's ability to invest in the US manufacturing industry may be compromised, endangering a large number of jobs. Bill Ford stated that the consequences of the Kentucky factory shutdown will affect the company and tens of thousands of workers in its supply chain, and harm the local economy. He also warned that the union's contract requirements could harm Ford's ability to invest in American manufacturing. "If we lose this ability, we will lose to our competitors. The United States will lose. Many jobs will no longer exist. We will not be able to invest in the future. We will lose factories.