Layoffs

TbirdMarty · Jan 11, 2002

Just heard on the news this morning that Ford will be laying off about 20,000 workers. I hope this does not affect the folks at the Wixom plant. Here in Atlanta the folks at the Taurus plant in Hapeville feel that they are fairly secure since they build Taurus and that they are one of Ford's most productive plants. The news broadcast said that the feeling was that an F-150 plant in New Jersey and a plant in Ontario would be the ones most affected. I hate to see anyone loose their job not just the people building Tbirds.

jodrod · Jan 11, 2002

It seems that the corporate answer to lower stock prices is to reduce overhead and so many times the avenue of approach is to reduce head count.

This may indeed cut cost in the short run, but reducing the number of people does not make the work go away. Now everyone is doing the job that two or three people used to do with the result that not enough time is spent on any one thing to ensure it is properly accomlished. It is now "close enough, gotta work on something else. I am so busy getting things done that I don't get anything done".

Quality suffers, customers become unhappy, customers go away, stocks go down, head count reduces. Repeat.

RACERROGER · Jan 11, 2002

The plant in Edison, New Jersey is a Ranger plant. Rangers have not been selling well. The mayor of Edison is in Detroit talking to the powers to be about Financial incentives to keep the plant open. This is one of Ford's oldest plants. I guess we will know later today what the outcome is. Without the plant Edison New Jersey will become a ghost town.

Tbird eh · Jan 11, 2002

Drove by the Oakville Ontario truck plant this morning. This is where the f-150 is made.All kinds of news cruise out side waiting to see if they shut down the plant putting 1500 out of work. What a sad day.

Triple black, #2 of 2, Vin. Less

WixomPooh · Jan 11, 2002

Well- the announcement by Ford's today will affect the Wixom Plant.

According to the report the Contential will be discountinued. I got a phone call from my brother in law who works day shift and he said that at the big meeting they were told that there will be a reduction of 900 hourly workers.

I guess I will have to wait and see what they tell us at our meeting tonite. I am sure that its going to be the same thing that day shift was told- but its better to hear it for yourself. I am still trying to soak in the information after knowing for a few hours.
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jodrod

It seems that the corporate answer to lower stock prices is to reduce overhead and so many times the avenue of approach is to reduce head count.

This may indeed cut cost in the short run, but reducing the number of people does not make the work go away. Now everyone is doing the job that two or three people used to do with the result that not enough time is spent on any one thing to ensure it is properly accomlished. It is now "close enough, gotta work on something else. I am so busy getting things done that I don't get anything done".

Quality suffers, customers become unhappy, customers go away, stocks go down, head count reduces. Repeat.
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Jodrod

I couldn't agree more !!! I have been down this road before and know where it leads. Quality does suffer when there are job cuts. We have been facing that issue all week- close enough- and I know with the latest announcements its not going to get any better.

Gobird · Jan 11, 2002

WaxomPooh, I know where you are at. My company has done the same thing over the years. They downsized in the 80's and just stayed afloat in the 90's. We are owned by the British, this doesn't help at all. They have gotten rid of a lot of white coller workers and blue coller workers to make the botton line look better but all this has done was put a lot of work on the remaining people and they don't like it. No one has enought time to do their job right. Our own little JOB ONE has gone down the drain. Sept. 11 didn't help at all but the company is digging our grave. I have 25 yrs. in and I have been laid off sence the last week of OCT. I hope to get back by Mar. but I don't know what will happen. I wouldn't let this keep me from getting my Bird. Will be in in about 2 or 3 weeks Vin 109293. Hope things work out for you.
A UNION brother to a UNION sister, Local 1852 USWA.

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Blue on Blue Prem. STILL WAITING Ordered in Jan. 7of12 NOW 4of12
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
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Got Vin. 109293 Build Date 01/14

jodrod · Jan 11, 2002

Pooh,

I assume that is the Towncar that is being discontinued. This brings up speculation that there will be room for an increase in the TBird production. Any rumors floating around?

RACERROGER · Jan 11, 2002

JODROD,
I thought that they were still making the Continental, although it wasn't selling. I believe that the Town Car is the only big seller that Lincoln has.

DavidA · Jan 11, 2002

Town Car is definately NOT going to be stopped. The Continental, which sits between the Town Car and the LS is the one being discontinued. It is a car without a market. Wise move to stop it.

whvt01 · Jan 11, 2002

Are they reducing some of the bonuses and
perks in the upper management levels.

Seen comments on other large corporations
that upper management is not giving up any
of the fringe benefits, some receiving more.

?????

tr cruiser · Jan 11, 2002

Pooh,

I know it's not much comfort, but I just wanted to let you know what a super job you guys did on my new blue T-bird. When I took delivery, there were three of us who did a thorough inspection of the fit and finish and found it perfect! No scratches, no blemishes, no orange peel - a beautiful job from top to bottom. You can be very proud of the professional work you do.

As one who was laid off by Ford during the downturn in '75, I can appreciate your feeling of uncertainty. I have a nephew who was laid off last month and a brother-in-law who may have to accept early retirement soon. When the rest of the country catches a cold, Detroit suffers the flu.

Hope thing are looking better soon.

HeelBird · Jan 11, 2002

Pooh, you are in my prayers, as are all associates involved in the cutback.

I was thinking that the Connie was killed off when the LS was launched---always liked the car, and didn't think that it was being produced anyway. Pretty much the same for the Escort---thought the Focus took its place, other than the continuation of the ZX2. Kind of surprised about the Cougar and Villager.

I know how the uncertainty works. My brother in law is a materials manager for a company that manufactures parts for the airline industry. The nature of his job seems to have him being laid off every 5 years or so, and the 9-11 mess surely didn't help. The news reports of 22,000 North American and 35,000 total pending layoffs are bad enough, and I guess those numbers don't include the trickle-down that will impact the suppliers.

There was a report on the news earlier today that said some think tank had estimated that the 9-11 event had cost over 1 million jobs nationwide, with the travel and tourism industry being the hardest hit. We're surely seeing some rough times.

TBIRD II · Jan 14, 2002

I can't understand why Ford would cut staff at Wixom because they are dropping the Continental. Why not beef up T-Bird production instead?

As much as I like the idea that Tbirds are a limited production car, American Jobs are far more important. The demand is out there! People are paying up to $10,000 over list because they can't make enough of them, so make more of them and save these jobs!

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Joe
TBIRD II - My License Plate
Waiting for #9476...

DavidA · Jan 14, 2002

TBIRD II: -- I would suggest that if they beefed up production of the T-Bird, they'd run out of customers very fast. There really is a limited number of customers for a 2-seat car like the T-Bird, and 25,000 units a year is probably about right. Sure, if they built 50,000 this year they'd sell them, but what will happen 3 years down the road? Probably no more customers, so, not only would they dilute the value early, they'd saturate the market at the same time thereby winning nothing except short term sales. I really don't think they should, or would do that. The reality is they would do better to kill the T-Bird because it is such a low volume, low profit center. Ford needs it for prestige, but certainly not for the percentage income it generates.

joelja · Jan 14, 2002

But why can't they just divert resources to the TBird for the rest of the model year to just speed up production a touch??

Only a thought for those of us who are still Birdless and a smidgeon impatient.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18

FDCAPTAIN · Jan 14, 2002

I am a Union member and the Unions had nothing to do with any closing or cut backs.

The white shirts at Ford have let their product go down while boosting the product lines of Volvo, Mazda, Jaguar, AstonMartin and some other small company aquistions.

The relationship with their suppliers stinks and the quality of the parts shows it.

The Union worker is the reason Ford is still here and is the only hope for a successful comeback.

Ford could/should produce 60,000 Thunderbirds per year without suffering. They have the ability and should produce the car that the public wants to buy!

Gobird · Jan 14, 2002

FDCAPTION, Right on. I'v been a union member for 25 yrs. Local 1852 USWA. The companies have brought this on themselves but the worker has to pay for this. It doesn't seem fair but we can't do anything ABOUT THIS. The Gov. has taken all our power away from us in the last 20 years. I know that we will get people saying that the unions have gotten too much over the years, but how can you compare 20 years of experance with 4 or 6 yrs. of collage.
Just to give some of these people a background. I was making $2.50 to $3.00 an hour back in the mid 60'S when a lot of my friends were going to collage and were doing nothing except going to collage and getting supported by their parents. I didn't have the means to do this so I worked for a living. I'm not taking anything away from the people that could do this but don't condem the people that work in UNION Shops.

yellowwing1 · Jan 14, 2002

IBEW then CWA local 13000 for 37 years. We always got blamed for any increase in price but never credited for production increases. It has always amazed me how people never understood that. I wonder how they will blame the union employees at ENRON

Kristi · Jan 14, 2002

Originally posted by joelja:
...for those of us who are still Birdless and a smidgeon impatient.

Isn't that an oxymoron?

blue/blue/partial blue #4 of 10, still waiting, not patiently

Birdman93 · Jan 15, 2002

Correct me if I'm wrong, WixomPooh-but the plant there is the one producing the LS and the Thunderbird-not the Conti and the Thunderbird.

Talked with Bill Ford Jr yesterday, and asked him about the Thunderbird-asked if there were any plans to increase production of the T-Bird from the 25000 units per year-and his reply was a resounding NO! The plants that will stay open will have to make adjustments for production in order to take up slack-and the models most affected will be the Taurus and the F-150.

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Layoffs

TbirdMarty

VIP Contributor

jodrod

RACERROGER

Tbird eh

WixomPooh

Gobird

jodrod

RACERROGER

DavidA

whvt01

tr cruiser

HeelBird

TBIRD II

DavidA

joelja

FDCAPTAIN

Gobird

yellowwing1

Kristi

Birdman93

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