Ford to extend buyout offers to all U.S. hourly workers

[muesa]

The United Auto Workers announced today that the union had reached agreement on voluntary system-wide buyouts for more than 75,000 UAW-represented hourly workers at Ford Motor Company.

“Once again, our members are stepping up to make hard choices under difficult circumstances,” said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. “Now, it's Ford Motor Company's responsibility to lead this company in a positive direction - which means using the skills, experience and dedication to quality that UAW members demonstrate every day in order to deliver quality vehicles to customers.”

“Our goal is to help our members and their families, and to make sure than any reduction in the workforce at Ford takes place on a voluntary basis,” said UAW Vice President Bob King, who directs the union's Ford Department. “We remain deeply concerned about Ford's loss of market share, and committed to working together to deliver vehicles consumers want at a price they can afford. Even with all the problems in the auto industry, UAW members at Ford will continue to have a voice in their own destiny.”

A variety of buyout and incentive packages will be available, depending on length of service and other eligibility factors. All active UAW Ford hourly workers will be eligible for at least one of the programs, which will be offered on a one-time basis only due to current conditions in the industry, including Ford's continued loss of market share.

The buyout packages include retirement incentives, early retirement, pre-retirement leave, incentives for workers to terminate their employment at Ford and special educational opportunities. UAW Ford workers currently assigned to Automotive Components Holding (ACH) facilities will have the opportunity to flow back to any job openings created at Ford as a result of the buyout packages.

No UAW Ford hourly worker will have his or her contractual rights compromised as a result of these buyout packages, and no worker will be involuntarily separated from Ford Motor Company.

Note: A summary of the terms and conditions of the voluntary, system-wide buyout packages is available on the UAW web site at .

[muesa]

1. Ford and UAW extend buyouts to all hourly workers

Ford and UAW extend buyouts to all hourly workers

Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News

DEARBORN -- Ford Motor Co. and the United Auto Workers union have agreed to extend buyouts to all Ford hourly workers in the United States.

The move addresses Wall Street's chief concern, namely that the pace of Ford's downsizing is proceeding too slowly. Though the company had set a goal of eliminating some 30,000 factory jobs by 2012, its targeted buyout program had only trimmed about 6,500 positions as of Sept. 1.

The new program is expected to lead to a much broader exodus from the company

[muesa]

2. High Gas Prices, High Health Costs, Absence of Single Payer Health Ins

have taken their toll.

Good Republicans (like DR Newt Gingrich, and DR Phil Gramm) - who pilloried Hillary and targeted Wofford -- have driven the US auto industry over seas to eascape high health insurance costs.

The oil industry guys (Bush and Cheney) who refused to "jaw bone" Big Oil and refused to pass increases in CAFE - have had the effect of driving purchasers "on the fence" to imports to reduce costs of ownership.

That's the way it looks to me.

[mntleo2]

3. I'm Sure The Golden Parachutes Are ...

...billowing in the wind, well greased by tax breaks for being so "noble" as saving money after being ineffective managers by making those gas guzzling, Halliburton-loving SUVs rather than using some of that tax windfall to create hybreds.

Meanwhile those "early retirements" will be unable to pay their ARM mortgages and without healthcare at middleage, they will find themselves on the street and victims of the draconian "safety net" they so heartily supported tearing up 10 years ago with Welfare DEformed.

I'm afraid there is going to be some cold winters in Michigan with a lot more homeless to come ...

Cat In Seattle

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. will the last Ford worker please turn out the lights?

10,000 white collar, 75,000 blue collar and what does our Boy King say about our economy?