MSN top story this afternoon. Check out the full article here.
[link:www.msnbc.com/news/685947.asp?pne=msn|Full Story]


“WE STRAYED from what got us to the top of the mountain, and it cost us greatly,” chief executive William Clay Ford Jr. said Friday from company headquarters in announcing the plan.
The job cuts amount to about 10 percent of its overall work force and include 22,000 in North America.
The plants to be closed are in Edison, N.J. and Oakville, Ontario by 2004; Brook Park, Ohio, near Cleveland in either 2003 or 2004; Hazelwood, Mo., near St. Louis by an undetermined date; and Vulcan Forge in Dearborn, Mich., as soon as possible.
The plan also calls for major downsizings, including shift eliminations, at 11 other plants.
The job cuts include 12,000 blue-collar positions in North America, in addition to 3,000 positions already eliminated from a total hourly work force of about 115,000 last year, Chief Operating Officer Nick Scheele said.
Vehicles to be dropped are the Ford Escort, Mercury Cougar, Mercury Villager and Lincoln Continental.


Krosati
[link:www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displayalbum.php?&albumid=28|My User Gallery]
Visit my homepage at ClubFTE
[link:www.clubfte.com/users/krosati/index.html|My Homepage]
My friends say I'm too old to play with toys.
I need new friends

 

It's a damn shame that some 35,000 workers must lose their jobs.I sympathize with them....I start a new job this Monday,after my last job let me go just before the holidays.It is a scary feeling going out and just looking for decent-paying jobs,let alone getting them.A lot of prayers were said.I pray for those at Ford who had their jobs cut.Isn't it sad that big corporations to "cut costs",eliminate workers,instead of other ways?Cutting vehicle prices,prehaps?I guess loyalty has no meaning anymore...without a good,strong,workforce,big companies eventually go out of business.I'VE BEEN THERE.No,I'm no bigshot in the corporate world,I'm just a damn good/loyal American worker.A person who can sleep at night.

 

It's really sad to see the Continental go along with the other models, but I feel Mr.Ford and our board of directors have a definate plan on getting us to be the powerful contender we used to be before we got : Jac N asser! I feel Mr. Ford was very sincere and saddened by this decision. Tonight they are having the Grand Ball ( $350.00 A seat)at the North American International Auto Show , but William Clay Ford is not attending as he feels people might get the idea that he is celebrating this decision. This restructuring will definatly lead to plant closings, but Ford cannot close a plant before our contract expires Sept.2003. If they close a plant they still have to pay each employee their wage until the term of the contract is up. This would not be cost efficient as they would pay wages for no product. The Ontario plant is the only contract coming up so it was pretty clear they were about to close it. As for line speeds ,our plant has cut back production from 80 units an hour to 70 per hour. This may not sound like alot but on our schedule it cuts total units per year down by appox. 52,000 cars. My prayers go out to all who are affected by this announcement. Kevin

 

>Isn't it sad that big corporations to "cut
>costs",eliminate workers,instead of other ways?

This has been the part that has bugged me for years, and it starts about this time of the year when the Auto show moves into town. They will spend "millions" an the concept cars that will never see a production line, cut-away engines, and cut-away vechiles. Sure some of the items might make it to a production car but put your concept ideas into a current car, not build a whole car to show off a new headlight system or such.
Now I will state that I am a racing Geek, but the amount of money they spend here is another area that could be reduced to save some people some heartache.

>Cutting vehicle prices,prehaps?

I doubt that will happen, they didn't lower them when they were making money hand over fist, so I see the prices rise because of the losses now.


>I'm just a damn good/loyal
>American worker.

I salute you for that.

Getting off soap box now, sorry that my first post is a rant. Been lurking for awhile and really like this site. Have learned some things and hope I will be able to pass on some information to help others.
Ken

 

i guess i'm one of those 35,000 just got word. Better days will soon come for Ford, no worries.

 

>i guess i'm one of those 35,000 just got word. Better days
>will soon come for Ford, no worries.

Very sorry to hear it, Cowboy, but with a great attitude like that, I imagine that you're gonna be just fine!!

 

Yeah i'll be fine, i got a job at a guys shop now, for the time that is.

 

A good man, with skills and faith can always make his way in this country. I'm glad you found a position of some kind so fast, I know the move I have in front of me this week and the next is going to tap my resources pretty deep.

I hope you have some savings, and didn't lose much in between, and that you can rise above the change in your situation to bigger and better things.

After all -

"There's no such thing as a problem that doesn't have a gift for us somewhere inside it.

We seek out problems because we need their gifts"

(Richard Bach)

 

Good luck to you guys who are being cut from Ford. My dad retired from FoMoCo in '88, after 30 years of service. I remember the seventies when the Japaneese cars were hitting the market and the economy was slow. He had 15-20 years senority during those times and was nearly cut then. It was scary. Those of you with continuing UAW contracts will have some time, maybe. One thing for sure - employers with any sense will know that if you've worked for Ford, you know how to turn out quality and that you sure ain't skeered to work like he**!

Best to you!

 

The Escort was a dead duck anyhow. And the demise of Mercury is been fodder for specualtion for some time now. But the Conney?? That one's been around for sometime.....

Thoughts and prayers to those here that got pink slips from Ford. Keep the faith!