Ford to cut 35,000 jobs worldwide and

[p_p_man]

"close five plants, scrap four vehicles and cut its overall production capacity by 16 percent in a sweeping restructuring that its chief executive called a “painful, but necessary” effort to return the world’s second-largest automaker to profitability."

What price now all those people last night who reckoned that Global Corporations act out of humanitarian considerations? And actually have a human face...

Ha!

 

[EthiopianPrince]

You make a good point p p man. I agree with you that it is entirely appropriate for the world population to hold corporations accountable through laws and treaties passed by their duly elected governments.

 

[Phoenyx]

You make a good point p p man. I agree with you that it is entirely appropriate for the world population to hold corporations accountable through laws and treaties passed by their duly elected governments.

I listen to the speech Ford junior gave..

According to him they are not layoff but a revectoring of priorities.

HUH?

 

[Guest]

They are phasing out two of their plants in Northeast Ohio very soon. It's so sad because those towns are there mainly because of automobile assembly. Many people will lose their jobs.

 

[Texan]

This is terrible for the people

who are loosing their jobs... BUT... ppman

What would you have the company do????

Would you have them maintain their unprofitable ways and go bankrupt??? Then the other 220,000 employees of Ford would be without jobs.

If Enron had corrected their business practices a year ago at the expense of some jobs, many of my neighbors might still have jobs today.

It seems that to some people, a corporation can't do anything right. They are guilty in your eyes just because they are a large corporation.

You know what???..... In December, Ford hurt me personally. They cancelled a very large order given to me by one of their factories in Mexico. It hurt, but I can see that it was necessary for their viability....

 

[miles]

Texan

Psssst.

He doesn't understand logic. It doesn't make sense to him.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

Ford to cut 35,000 jobs worldwide and

Isn't this one of the liberal "dipshits" who was ranting two days ago about "Multi National Corporations"? Now it's the "little people" being hurt? Well, maybe you'll start to see that "Muti-nationals" are just as much the little guy as "Vinny's Pizza"!

Runner

 

[p_p_man]

Re: This is terrible for the people

who are loosing their jobs... BUT... ppman

What would you have the company do????

Would you have them maintain their unprofitable ways and go bankrupt??? Then the other 220,000 employees of Ford would be without jobs.

They're doing exactly what I would expect them to do. My reason for the thread is to show the posters who said this sort of thing couldn't happen, that it could, and does.



RhumbRunner13: Go back to the original thread, read, comprehend and then post...

 

[Poverkhnost]

Who said that it couldn't happen?

Maybe I missed something a few nights ago with our talk, but I thought that everyone's point was merely that companies won't risk hurting their owners. Ofcourse, this isn't always true because even Enron in the end hurt their owners (i.e. investors). That is exactly what Ford is trying to do...protect investor interests.

This is terrible for those workers, but they will be absorbed into other industries, and will be the first to be hired back when Ford regains profitability.

 

[p_p_man]

Poverkhnost

Without going back over old ground I was saying a few night ago that the only reason for a Company's existence is to maintain it's profitability.

It is an entity in itself within law (well UK law anyway) and has no human face. The Board of Directors are the stewards of the company. That is all. They don't own it. And the shareholders lend it money. They don't own it either.

This thread was just to underline my point...

 

[Poverkhnost]

I understood your point then and do now. I see what you're trying to underline. We really agree on who does what and what role everyone plays. I think we just see the actions as being motivated by different reasons, which is understandable I guess. I do enjoy your posts by the way...better then caffeine for waking me up.

 

[p_p_man]

better then caffeine for waking me up.

They wake me up as well...

 

[Poverkhnost]

Well ppman, you've ignored my offer for help to the light. I guess all that's left is for me to go to bed and think of some other way to indoctrinate you to the truth!

 

[freakygirl]

They are phasing out two of their plants in Northeast Ohio very soon. It's so sad because those towns are there mainly because of automobile assembly. Many people will lose their jobs.

Actually only one of the Ohio plants is scheduled to be closed so far

These are the ones closing:

1. Edison Assembly Plant,
Edison, N.J.
Produces the Ford Ranger compact truck (330,125 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Scheduled to close by 2004

2. St. Louis Assembly Plant,
Hazelwood, Mo.
Produces the Ford Explorer SUV (445,157 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Plant closure date undetermined

3. Oakville Assembly Plant,
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Produces the Ford Windstar minivan (222,298 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Scheduled to close by 2004

4. Hermosillo Assembly Plant,
Hermosillo, Mexico
Produces the Ford Escort ZX2* coupe and Ford Focus hatchback and sedan (286,166 Focuses; 110,736 Escorts sold in the U.S. in 2000)
*model to be discountinued

5. Ohio Assembly Plant,
Avon Lake, Ohio
Produces the Mercury Villager minivan* (30,443 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
*model to be discountinued


but get this.. they are making a NEW SUV and Truck in the future

Kansas City Assembly Plant,
Kansas City, Mo.
Produces the Lincoln Blackwood truck*, Ford Escape* compact SUV, F-series trucks (42,635 Escapes; 876,716 F-series sold in the U.S. in 2000)
*new model

 

[Mensa]

Conflict of information

These are the ones closing:



3. Oakville Assembly Plant,
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Produces the Ford Windstar minivan (222,298 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Scheduled to close by 2004

The News here reported it was the Ford Truck plant at Oakville that was closing. It produces the F-Series pickups. The most popular selling truck in North America according to Ford's own commercials.

 

[lobito]

Actually only one of the Ohio plants is scheduled to be closed so far

These are the ones closing:
2. St. Louis Assembly Plant,
Hazelwood, Mo.
Produces the Ford Explorer SUV (445,157 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Plant closure date undetermined

This plant is less than 5 miles form my home, I've been hearing about this possibility for weeks now, so it's not a HUGE surprise that it really is being closed. The thing that sucks is that it's been in our area for SO long, more than the St. Louis area, it hurts the immediate area, as ALL of the closings do.

Closing a WHOLE plant, will affect all the business around there, that the workers shop at, or go to eat, or whatever.

I question the profitablity part. Are they meaning they wont make any profits without closing the plants? Or do they mean they won't make AS MUCH Profit if they don't close? NO one here, Im syure knows the real answer, though there are and will be opinions form some who think they do.

Whos faulty is it if they are not making profit? Not the consumers fault, the consumers don't RUN the company. The consumers aren't being paid millions of dollars a year to run FORD. The consumers for the most part aren't being paid OUTRAGEOUS sums of money to build the cars.

Blame the economy, blame Sept. 11th... SOME people will accept it, because they don't know any better. Does the "average man on the street" know that when auto workers are layed off, or whatever they are calling this, (yes sometimes fired), that the workers recieve UP TO 95% of their full salary for up to 2 years? I seriously doubt it.

just my semi-informed by autoworker buddies, opinions...

Lo

 

[p_p_man]

lobito...

This is where you need a trained Socialist, wise in the fighting of injustices...

Joking apart though, are there plans for local protests, marches, lobbying, media intervention that sort of thing?

Other than the Unions I mean.

I'm thinking of all the small subsidiary businesses in your area which could well go down the tubes because of Ford.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

This plant is less than 5 miles form my home, I've been hearing about this possibility for weeks now, so it's not a HUGE surprise that it really is being closed. The thing that sucks is that it's been in our area for SO long, more than the St. Louis area, it hurts the immediate area, as ALL of the closings do.

Lobito, where were you when Nash closed, or Hudson, or Hupmobile? How about Studabaker, LaSalle or Cord? Read history before you allow a socialist to tweak your feelings!
Given his scenario, we would still have 90 auto companies producing poor products (like the MG) that by government fiat, we would have to buy!

I still don't understand how the government could allow "buggy wip" producers to go out of business!!

Runner

 

[p_p_man]

From RhumbRunner13 (strangename that)
Read history before you allow a socialist to tweak your feelings!

Did you have to say "socialist" with such disdain in your tone?

 

[Guest]

Actually only one of the Ohio plants is scheduled to be closed so far

These are the ones closing:

1. Edison Assembly Plant,
Edison, N.J.
Produces the Ford Ranger compact truck (330,125 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Scheduled to close by 2004

2. St. Louis Assembly Plant,
Hazelwood, Mo.
Produces the Ford Explorer SUV (445,157 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Plant closure date undetermined

3. Oakville Assembly Plant,


Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Produces the Ford Windstar minivan (222,298 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
Scheduled to close by 2004

4. Hermosillo Assembly Plant,
Hermosillo, Mexico
Produces the Ford Escort ZX2* coupe and Ford Focus hatchback and sedan (286,166 Focuses; 110,736 Escorts sold in the U.S. in 2000)
*model to be discountinued

5. Ohio Assembly Plant,
Avon Lake, Ohio
Produces the Mercury Villager minivan* (30,443 sold in the U.S. in 2000)
*model to be discountinued


but get this.. they are making a NEW SUV and Truck in the future

Kansas City Assembly Plant,
Kansas City, Mo.
Produces the Lincoln Blackwood truck*, Ford Escape* compact SUV, F-series trucks (42,635 Escapes; 876,716 F-series sold in the U.S. in 2000)
*new model

freakygurl32,

The other plant that is closing is something along the lines of a type of finishing company that they use for parts of some kind. It's been a big story in our area. I want to say a burnishing company, but I don't know if that is correct or not.

So, there are two....one is directly Ford related and the other is because of Ford closing that it's being affected.

Enjoy your day!
Enchanted

 

[WriterDom]

Once the revolution comes and the workers take over, you'll never see job cuts again. Instead, you'll see "Ford forced to hire 35,000 workers despite lower demand and negative earnings"

 

[lobito]

Lobito, where were you when Nash closed, or Hudson, or Hupmobile? How about Studabaker, LaSalle or Cord? Read history before you allow a socialist to tweak your feelings!
Runner

You know I really don't know, NOR do I care just WHO THE FUCK YOU ARE, but don't think you know enough about me by a statement I made here, to say that I or my response was influenced by a "socialist".

Beleive me, p_p_man and I are about as far apart on our views and comments 95% of the time, as two posters here can be.

As I'm NOT a part of the people who'll be losing their jobs, I have NO FUCKING idea what is planned as far as protests. I am NOT, and never will be a member of the union, as I oppose what Unions do these days. As much as people want to argue that unions are good, or that "if it wasn't for unions, blah blah blah", that is all bullshit. Unions don't do HALF of what they are supposed to do for you, according to my union friends.

I know other smaller businesses will go out of businesses that are "related" to building the Fords, in each and every city. I can't do anything about that either.

I wasn't around when the OLDER car companies you mentioned went out of business, so I can't say anything about them.

This closing in our city means ONE thing, that it will just be harder to find a job for me, becasue there are many more that wil be looking for jobs too.

Lo

 

[Azwed]

Two words for you.


Ford Sucks


They have been running in the read for the past 2 or 3 quarters I think. That is a lot of time to be in the red, so they probably have little or no liquidity left. Without these jobcuts Ford would probably have gone under. Maybe not right away but after a while.

The Escape is not a new vehicle it has been out for about a year and gives Ford a portion of the Compact/SubCompact SUV market.

The Blackwood truck is just a Lincoln Navigator with a truck bed. Much like the Chevy Avalanche and Ford Explorer Sport Track.

The reason Ford is making this vehicles is profitabilty. The average Truck or SUV makes Ford, along with all other car compaines, a lot more money. The percent of the purchase price that is profit is higher on an SUV or a truck. On some of the F-Series pickups Ford makes over 50% profit.

The reason for this is that trucks are all built on the same basic frame. The slightly heavier duty trucks just get a beefier frame and the Super Duties are built on their own frame. They just swap out different bodies for different models/trim levels. That 40,000 dollar loaded F-250 you bought probably cost Ford less then 20,000 to make. On some of the trim/model levels it only costs for 5 or 6 grand to make the truck.

The Expedition is built on the standard F-150/F-250 frame.
The Excursion is bult on the Super Duty frame.
The Explorer is built on the Ranger frame.
The Escape is actualy loosely based of the Focus platform just like the CRV and Rav4 are based off the Civc and Corolla platform respectively.

Get rid of the low profit small cars and make more of the big profit trucks/SUV's. That is why they are killing the Escort and making more trucks.

Ford, like all other engineering firms, needs to be run by engineers not accountants. Engineers with 20 plus years experience should be in all the key management slots. Of course there should be accountants and other people with MBA's to help the engineers, but the final decsion making should be in the hands of the engineer.

Ford needs to hire better engineers to. Most of the current ones don't impress me that much and I have met a few of them.

 

[fallon2]

Sad

It is sad when 35000 lose their jobs and Nasser gets 16 million in severance pay and Bill Jr. gives up his salary . . . but takes an unspecified amount of stock options.