<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hirings-firings/" rel="tag">Hirings/Firings/Layoffs</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/uaw-unions/" rel="tag">UAW/Unions</a></p><img hspace="0" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/uaw-ford-jackets-job-fair-getty-630.jpg" alt="" /><br />
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According to Ford spokesman Mark Truby, "Despite a strengthening in our business, we still have a surplus in employees." Union employees to be specific. As such, Ford has just announced plans to reduce its unionized workforce by offering a buyout package to all 41,000 UAW members currently employed by the automaker.<br />
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<em>Reuters</em> reports that Ford workers with at least one year of experience can take a payout of $50,000 plus a new car voucher worth $25,000 or an additional cash payment of $20,000. Retirement-age workers can opt to take their pensions plus the $25,000 new vehicle voucher or the $20,000 payment. Finally, skilled-trade workers that are eligible for retirement can opt for a $40,000 payout plus their pensions.<br />
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Ford says these efforts are necessary to remain competitive with foreign rivals and fellow American automakers General Motors and Chrysler, both of which recently went through government-sponsored bankruptcy proceedings and extensive reorganization. Earlier this year, Ford's UAW workers <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/new-contract-between-ford-and-uaw-voted-down-over-weekend/">voted down a revised contract</a> that would have essentially granted Ford the same measures that unionized auto workers had earlier extended to Chrysler and General Motors.<br />
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Workers who accept the buyout packages would leave sometime during the month of February, 2010. Any new workers hired as replacements will start at $14 per hour under the latest UAW contract, which is half of the current average wage of UAW employees being offered the buyouts.<br />
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[Source: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2125243620091221">Reuters</a> | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/21/report-ford-offering-all-41-000-uaw-workers-buyout-packages/">REPORT: Ford offering all 41,000 UAW workers buyout packages</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2125243620091221>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/21/report-ford-offering-all-41-000-uaw-workers-buyout-packages/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19290054/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/21/report-ford-offering-all-41-000-uaw-workers-buyout-packages/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<br />
According to Ford spokesman Mark Truby, "Despite a strengthening in our business, we still have a surplus in employees." Union employees to be specific. As such, Ford has just announced plans to reduce its unionized workforce by offering a buyout package to all 41,000 UAW members currently employed by the automaker.<br />
<br />
<em>Reuters</em> reports that Ford workers with at least one year of experience can take a payout of $50,000 plus a new car voucher worth $25,000 or an additional cash payment of $20,000. Retirement-age workers can opt to take their pensions plus the $25,000 new vehicle voucher or the $20,000 payment. Finally, skilled-trade workers that are eligible for retirement can opt for a $40,000 payout plus their pensions.<br />
<br />
Ford says these efforts are necessary to remain competitive with foreign rivals and fellow American automakers General Motors and Chrysler, both of which recently went through government-sponsored bankruptcy proceedings and extensive reorganization. Earlier this year, Ford's UAW workers <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/new-contract-between-ford-and-uaw-voted-down-over-weekend/">voted down a revised contract</a> that would have essentially granted Ford the same measures that unionized auto workers had earlier extended to Chrysler and General Motors.<br />
<br />
Workers who accept the buyout packages would leave sometime during the month of February, 2010. Any new workers hired as replacements will start at $14 per hour under the latest UAW contract, which is half of the current average wage of UAW employees being offered the buyouts.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2125243620091221">Reuters</a> | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/21/report-ford-offering-all-41-000-uaw-workers-buyout-packages/">REPORT: Ford offering all 41,000 UAW workers buyout packages</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2125243620091221>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/21/report-ford-offering-all-41-000-uaw-workers-buyout-packages/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19290054/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/21/report-ford-offering-all-41-000-uaw-workers-buyout-packages/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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