Ford revives 2,000 U.S. factory jobs, after cutting a few deals

Thanks to swelling demand for its F-Series pickups, Ford announced today it would add 900 jobs on a third shift at its Kansas City factory, and later in the year add an additional 1,100 jobs to launch production of the Ford Transit commercial van. Roughly half of the 2,000 new jobs will go to new hires — an impressive addition of workers by the Detroit automaker, which alone among its Michigan rivals does not import full-size pickups from Mexico.

But it didn't happen without some tough bargaining — and some help from those who will work the line.

While the national economy has been growing in fits and starts, a revived demand for construction jobs and lower gas prices has made pickups the fastest-growing segment among U.S. shoppers this year. Ford's F-Series sales have risen 19 percent through April, and Ford expects further gains for the remainder of the year.