Ford Announces 680 Job Cuts in Britain Amid Cutthroat Car Industry Competition

Ford, one of the major players in the automobile industry, has announced plans to slash 680 jobs at its British plants, in the latest sign of the cutthroat competition in the sector. The job cuts, which will be mainly voluntary redundancies, are aimed at improving efficiency. This move comes just a day after Rover agreed to a government aid package, which is expected to result in more job losses at its Longbridge plant in Birmingham.

Key Takeaways:

• Ford plans to axe 680 jobs at its British plants, with the majority of cuts (220 hourly paid jobs) to be at its Dagenham and Halewood facilities.
• The job losses include 55 salaried staff posts spread across Ford's UK plants and offices.
• The company has altered its redundancy package to allow employees to take their pensions from age 50 instead of 55.
• Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers has negotiated a deal with Rover, which includes an aid package worth up to £180 million, but no details have been announced yet.
• The deal aims to secure 50,000-60,000 jobs at BMW and the supply chain in the West Midlands and the UK.
• The Porsche sportscar maker has reiterated its opposition to British aid for BMW and Rover, citing concerns over fairness and competition.

Statistics:

• Ford plans to cut 680 jobs at its British plants.
• The majority of the job losses (220) will be at Dagenham and Halewood facilities.
• 55 salaried staff posts are to be cut across Ford's UK plants and offices.
• The Ford redundancy package will allow employees to take their pensions from age 50.
• The aid package for Rover is worth up to £180 million.
• BMW and the supply chain are expected to secure 50,000-60,000 jobs according to the deal.

Sources:

• A Ford spokesman,
• Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers,
• Porsche spokesman,