Ford to offer 500 redundancies

Falcon Freak · 06-12-2005, 07:18 AM

Why? Sales are only a couple of thousand less than this time last year. Which is much better than the other local vehicle manufacturers.

Click here for article

FF

paul7v7 · 06-12-2005, 07:37 AM

The article says to cut costs and I bet the decision came from Detroit.

AUIII XR8 MAN · 06-12-2005, 07:38 AM

It's a shame but hey they won't have to pay as much in overtime now.

LTDHO · 06-12-2005, 07:41 AM

I heard this on the radio this morning.

The first thing I thought of was the bad customer service from the service dept. I don't know if that is the major reason but everyone I have spoken to doesn't like their customer service. This would turn 'non-ford fans' away and lower sales.

BlueRaven · 06-12-2005, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTDHO

This would turn 'non-ford fans' away and lower sales.

Hell, it even turns ford fans away..

**Polyal** · 06-12-2005, 09:00 AM

yeah not great news, but atleast its not thousands like GM

Dave_au · 06-12-2005, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon Freak

Why?

"The move to trim Ford's 6000-strong staff is understood to be a bid to combat a downturn in its car and parts manufacturing sector."

parawolf · 06-12-2005, 09:48 AM

I think this move is to ride the forecast of a shrinking Falcon/Territory market. It is a premature strike to keep the company making the right number of vehicles for the marketplace to buy.

But think of the flow on affects, Ford is producing less cars with 500 fewer employees. Which means that component manufacturers will be creating fewer parts, which requires fewer employees in an effort to keep cost-per-unit down. So while Ford Australia might be shedding 500 employees, parts manufacturers Australia wide might be shedding another 500 combined.

Lets remember that Ford Australia has to report profits back to Ford Motor Company, and everything it can do to maintain or improve profits is a good thing for the parent company and those valuable shareholders.

06-12-2005, 09:53 AM

No need for panic as it is voluntary and some employees may have been looking to move on anyway.

It's sad but probably has to be done to make sure the other 5000+ employees have a job in the future.

parawolf · 06-12-2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RATT

No need for panic as it is voluntary and some employees may have been looking to move on anyway.

It's sad but probably has to be done to make sure the other 5000+ employees have a job in the future.

Spot on about ensuring a job for more than 5000+ direct employees.

XR-ENVI · 06-12-2005, 11:34 AM

its not the first time it has been done. Last time my dad was in charge of fighting for people to get reduncies because they wanted them, they even turned him down a couple of times, its good for people who are looking at leaving, including older workers, to leave with a bit of an incentive.

parawolf · 06-12-2005, 11:35 AM

But let us not forget that some of these 'long termers' are more expensive to make redundant due to the size of the payout. It is a firm balancing act which I don't envy at all.

Redrum · 06-12-2005, 05:06 PM

Good move by FoMoCo. Pre emptive strike. Car market sailing up s#*t creek world wide. Little harm now rather than a lot of harm later. Wish they had given me package....

Bossxr8 · 06-12-2005, 06:10 PM

I wouldn't call it a pre-emptive strike, sales have been down for the last 6 months and they have had a pile of cars sitting at Broadmeadows for ages, as production is too high. It probably should have happened earlier but there are plenty of people who are happy to go. Maybe now that petrol prices are dropping back down sales can get closer to previous years.

SWOOP · 06-12-2005, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parawolf

But let us not forget that some of these 'long termers' are more expensive to make redundant due to the size of the payout. It is a firm balancing act which I don't envy at all.

a member of my family has this very prob ,30 years service @broady and been knocked back many a time for a package cause of a massive payout fig , when I saw him on weekend he mentioned that first thing mon he was putting hand up for another ,I hope the poor bugger gets it this time,

parawolf · 06-12-2005, 10:25 PM

Oh lets not forget it isn't 500 employees. The number i'ver heard is closer to 100 salaried positions and 250 hourly employees.

**Charliewool** · 06-12-2005, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parawolf

Oh lets not forget it isn't 500 employees. The number i'ver heard is closer to 100 salaried positions and 250 hourly employees.

100, 500 or 5 000..Who Gives a F..k on the numbers? ( AND these ARE Australians we're talking about!.. people.. People with families) It's a disgrace!... We are heading for total destruction of ANY form of manufacturing in this country! "Offshore" is the new catchcry...
This government (or any contemplating BEING government) MUST go back to basics! People SKILLS are our only future!
Look at the mighty USA car industry crumbling!.. GM (USA) is on it's knees and ready to implode... trust me, FORD will follow!
30..40 yrs on we'll ALL be driving the same hybrid BLING, manufactured by a central plant in China!... Fantasy?? We'll see!

Sad part is... as stand alone entities, GMH & Ford (Aus) are probably the most ingeneous & forward thinking in the world.. (and profitable)
Off my soapbox... But THIS Riles me!

:

DanielXR8 · 07-12-2005, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliewool

100, 500 or 5 000..Who Gives a F..k on the numbers? ( AND these ARE Australians we're talking about!.. people.. People with families) It's a disgrace!... We are heading for total destruction of ANY form of manufacturing in this country! "Offshore" is the new catchcry...
This government (or any contemplating BEING government) MUST go back to basics! People SKILLS are our only future!
Look at the mighty USA car industry crumbling!.. GM (USA) is on it's knees and ready to implode... trust me, FORD will follow!
30..40 yrs on we'll ALL be driving the same hybrid BLING, manufactured by a central plant in China!... Fantasy?? We'll see!

Sad part is... as stand alone entities, GMH & Ford (Aus) are probably the most ingeneous & forward thinking in the world.. (and profitable)
Off my soapbox... But THIS Riles me!

:

I dont disagree with what you say either, but Ford Aus and US need to learn an important concept to have any hope - customer service.

Regards,
Dan

YELLAUTE · 07-12-2005, 12:59 PM

[QUOTE=DanielXR8]I dont disagree with what you say either, but Ford Aus and US need to learn an important concept to have any hope - customer service.

I agree, I have a three year old LTD, accountant says change it over next month when the lease finishes. After 6 new Fords in the last 12 years, the last three still in the garage, I am fed up with the lack of support from Ford's customer service. The XR8 BA2 ute is in to-day for its 3000klm service and the service advisor says the snatch in the transmission and the whine in the diff is standard for the car and nothing can/will be done about it. Whith that attitude why would I spend another 72 large next month for a new LTD? I went around the front and spoke to the salesman I always use and he said he knows all about it, he is equally frustrated and says he is loosing sales from regular customers every day because of the lack of any commitment from Ford to put things right. I would have understood if the service advisor said "yes we are having problems with these 6 speed manuals with diff noise and transmission back lash and we will have a look and see if we can tighten things up and if any fix comes through in the future we will put you on the computer to call and bring her back for the mods." but no he says "thats normal for that car!" didn't want to even drive it and see how load the diff wasx or how bad the snatch was. Thats not customer service. The new C300 looks good.

Bossxr8 · 10-12-2005, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliewool

100, 500 or 5 000..Who Gives a F..k on the numbers? ( AND these ARE Australians we're talking about!.. people.. People with families) It's a disgrace!... We are heading for total destruction of ANY form of manufacturing in this country! "Offshore" is the new catchcry...
This government (or any contemplating BEING government) MUST go back to basics! People SKILLS are our only future!
Look at the mighty USA car industry crumbling!.. GM (USA) is on it's knees and ready to implode... trust me, FORD will follow!
30..40 yrs on we'll ALL be driving the same hybrid BLING, manufactured by a central plant in China!... Fantasy?? We'll see!

Sad part is... as stand alone entities, GMH & Ford (Aus) are probably the most ingeneous & forward thinking in the world.. (and profitable)
Off my soapbox... But THIS Riles me!

:

It is around 500, but you need to realise that all the job losses are voluntary, and they will be payed out accordingly. Demand has dropped so its either move on the people who want to retire or leave, or wait too long and have to fire people who don't want to leave. If more people would buy Australian we wouldn't have these problems.

elusiverunner · 14-12-2005, 01:45 PM

I have to agree with what is being said here. I realise that if a company is experiencing a downturn then people must be sacrificed, but why workers. Why not lay off some of the upper management that sit in plush offices and reap huge salaries.

The other thing is why do we buy so much manufactured overseas. This country could sustain itself, without any foreign made goods. We have the resources and the skills and if need be could train more apprentices and jobs for our children. All these jobs going overseas are a big worry too.

XplosiveR6 · 14-12-2005, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elusiverunner

[font=Arial][color=blue]
The other thing is why do we buy so much manufactured overseas. This country could sustain itself, without any foreign made goods. We have the resources and the skills and if need be could train more apprentices and jobs for our children. All these jobs going overseas are a big worry too.

why? Because people want things cheap, The general public is not going to pay more for the same thing, just because its made in Aust. if people really cared about the Austrlian industy, we will all be buying goods made in Australia, but it seems aslong as people are saving a quick buck, they dont care where it comes from.

people compain about why we import so much stuff, and the simple reason is because YOU buy them.

its funny how the same people that dont care how Australian Falcons are, are complaining about ford sucking people, this is a perfect example, the more Australian falcon is, the more jobs availiable in Australia. Simple.

parawolf · 07-12-2005, 09:01 AM

I don't disagree with what you say, but in order to stay profitable and forward thinking they need to trim production, and there is little point in having the same staff producing say 65 cars a day vs 75 cars a day.