| Media item | |
| | Ford to slash staff | GoAuto News,
Sandringham
by Neil Dowling
| 28 Jun 2023 | | General News - Page 29 - 414 words - ID 1879975378 - Photo: Yes - Type: News Item - Size: 313.00cm2 | |
400 local jobs to go as Ford makes global cuts in lead up to EV manufacture
FORD Australia will cut more than 20 per cent of its staff through voluntary redundancies as it continues to reduce its Australian payroll.
It said 400 jobs would go from its 1800 Australian employees by September, with union leaders responding that most of the losses would be at the Ford Geelong plant in Victoria.
In a statement, Ford said: "The majority of these will be in product development and design, with a small number in other functions.
"The changes are part of Ford's global drive to improve efficiency and transform its operations to meet future needs." However Ford said of the losses that the design and engineering facilities in both Broadmeadows and Geelong would continue as the global centre for the development of the Ford Ranger pick-up and the Everest SUV.
The announcement brought fire from unions including the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) that said it was "disheartening news" and that it was "just another wave of the previous government's destruction of the vehicle industry".
Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) CEO Geoff Gwilym told The Age newspaper that Australia risked those workers now taking their skills overseas to work in more secure automotive industries.
He said as more vehicles were designed in North America and Europe, those sold in Australia would lose specific design principles previously built into Australian vehicles.
"What we will lose is a real capability around building vehicles and designing vehicles in the context of the Australian marketplace," Mr Gwilym said.
Ford said it had begun consultation with employees and unions on its intention to offer a "separation program" for the 400 staff affected.
AMWU vehicle industry coordinator Vince Pepi said in a newspaper interview that of the 400 jobs affected, about 350 would be white-collar workers and 50 to 45 would be blue-collar workers.
"Unfortunately, most of the job losses will affect workers in the Geelong area," he said.
"We understand that this news will be difficult for many workers and their families, and we want to ensure they have all the resources they need.
"We will continue to work closely with our members and their Ford management as the situation progresses." The latest round of redundancies comes eight months after Ford Australia cut 120 contract positions from 2300 staff, followed by a "voluntary separation program" earlier this year in which it lost 170 product development and design employees.
Caption Text:
Geoff Gwilym
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