Ford Cutting 700 Jobs at Michigan Plant

Slow sales of the Ford Focus and C-Max models will cost 700 people their jobs.

Focus and C-Max sales are down a combined 22 percent this year, adding onto the 15-percent decrease they experienced last year. As a result, the American automaker plans on removing the third shift at its assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan, which will result in 700 jobs lost. It is the first large-scale layoff of Tier 2 workers for Ford and will affect 673 hourly workers and 27 salaried employees.

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According to Ford spokeswoman Kristina Adamski, the company is “confident” that it will find other full-time positions for most of the workers. Those getting laid off will be eligible to receive 13 to 26 weeks of supplemental pay from Ford, depending on their seniority. Combined with unemployment benefits, their income will be as much as 74 percent of their current wages.

News of the layoffs come less than a week after Ford announced its plans to invest $2.5 billion to expand numerous powertrain plants in Mexico.

[Source: Automotive News]

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