Bryce Currie, Ford's vice president of manufacturing in the Americas, said the company anticipates nine of those 13 plants will have to lay off as many as 4,600 workers in total over the coming weeks, with the first layoffs happening in a matter of days.

"I want to stress, this will be a prolonged impact. Even if the strike is short-lived, it will have a prolonged impact, because bringing a plant back up is much more intensive than putting it down," Currie explained in an Oct. 12 media call.

Kentucky Truck makes F-series Super Duty pickups as well as Ford Expedition SUVs and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. It generates $25 billion in annual revenue, or 16% of Ford's annual global revenue, and produces a vehicle every 37 seconds.

Sounds like the VP understands that this is going to cost them a large amount. Also sounds like he isn't 100% on board with it, but time and actions will tell.

I wouldn't be either, There is no way they are going to be able to replace 5,000 auto workers easily. Anyone who has ever taking their car to a mechanic will know what I mean.