November 09, 2007

Is Ford Going To Pull A Chrsyler?

With voting to ratify the new UAW contract, Ford announces they plan on getting rid of an additional 4,000 hourly workers.

But Ford Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally was clear in a conference call with auto analysts and journalists Thursday that the job cuts at Ford are not over, especially given the $1-billion pretax loss in North America in the third quarter.

"We will continue to reduce our employment consistent with our restructuring to operate at the lower demand over the next few years," Mulally said.

And just how does Ford plan on getting rid of those employees? Will it be through buyouts or simple permanent layoffs?

He would not say whether Ford would reduce more workers through involuntary layoffs or buyouts, which would allow workers to leave voluntarily with compensation.

"Let's talk about that next week," he said, referring to a conference call Ford is to host after the company's more than 50,000 autoworkers conclude voting Monday or Tuesday on a tentative 4-year labor agreement with Ford.

Yep, Next Week ..

After the voting to ratify the contract is done.

That lack of information about buyouts from Ford leaves some autoworkers suspicious that Ford simply would lay off workers as soon as the new contract is ratified.

Behind the scenes, Ford officials suggest the company would not violate the union's trust that way.

But given the actions of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, workers seem to want promises to be detailed and concrete. After autoworkers at those two companies ratified a contract with the companies, the carmakers announced they would lay off about 3,000 and 10,000 workers, respectively.

Ford probably should have kept it's mouth's shut until after the ratification because workers were learly before voting began but now they are down right suspicious and worried.

Gary Walkowicz, one of about 40 autoworkers at the Dearborn Truck Plant protesting the new contract, said autoworkers are more mistrustful of these deals than ever before.

"People are definitely suspicious and concerned about possible layoffs after what happened at General Motors and Chrysler," he said. "Some people are saying they're going to do the same thing: announce layoffs."

Looks like Ford is channeling Chrysler

Posted by Quality Weenie at November 9, 2007 09:39 AM | TrackBack
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