[torradan]

Made the paper this morning..

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/465456

Quote:Ford puts Oakville plans on hold

Automaker's sudden reversal on third shift leaves hundreds of freshly recruited workers without jobs

Ford has delayed the addition of a third shift and hundreds of jobs at its Oakville assembly plant indefinitely because of an abrupt downturn in sales of crossover vehicles.

A senior spokesperson for Ford Motor of Canada Ltd. confirmed yesterday that the automaker halted the gradual launch of a third shift this week because of sliding sales of the Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover utility vehicles in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

"The Oakville assembly complex is delaying the introduction of the third shift indefinitely to better align production with unprecedented shifts in market conditions," said Lauren More, Ford's vice-president of communications.

The company has also cut back Saturday overtime production for its two shifts at the plant because of slowing sales.

Ford's move comes only three months after the automaker announced plans for the extra shift and more than 500 new jobs in Oakville. Ford informed about 350 new workers this week not to report for orientation for the third shift over the next month even though the company had just recently recruited them.

"It has to be absolutely gut-wrenching for some of those people who left other jobs to join Ford and now have this happen," said Bob Chernecki, a senior official for the Canadian Auto Workers union. "What do they and their families do now?"

The company started orientation this week for another 160 workers who transferred from the company's engine operations in Windsor after being laid off there. They will remain and fill positions in Oakville that become vacant through attrition.

"We're very thankful that Ford will proceed with the transfer and is absorbing us into the Oakville plant," said Catherine Faubert, who moved with her husband and family from Windsor.

In response to the big shift in consumer preferences, industry sources say parent Ford Motor Co. will soon announce plans to import more subcompacts and compacts to the U.S. market from overseas and revamp operations in North America to produce smaller cars.

In Oakville, More said the chances of proceeding with a third shift in the short term are not good. The company also produces the Flex crossover model there. "We expect the economic environment in the U.S. in the second half of this year to remain severe," she said.

Ford said in April that it would add a third shift in Oakville because the Edge and MKX models had gained strong traction in the U.S. and Canadian markets after debuting in 2006.

But the gradual move by consumers to smaller, more fuel-efficient models in the U.S. over the past year turned into a stampede in May and June as gasoline prices soared to record highs.

It triggered a collapse in sales of large pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles and also pulled down business for bigger models in the popular crossover segment.

In the key U.S. market, where Ford expected Edge business to continue growing, sales slipped 4.6 per cent to 32,693 during the second quarter from the same period last year, with signs of continuing deterioration. Edge sales plunged almost 20 per cent to 9,993 in June from the same month last year.

In Canada, Edge sales have risen 14 per cent to 3,853 in the past three months but are slowing down. Sales in June rose 2 per cent to 1,348.

Chernecki, assistant to CAW president Buzz Hargrove, said he isn't optimistic that Ford will implement the third shift in Oakville for at least several months in view of the continuing upheaval in the North American auto industry.

"This is a reflection of rising fuel prices and an unprecedented flood of imports into Canada and the U.S.," he added.

"The Harper government has to get off their position of ignoring the industry and start taking an active role to protect it before there is any further damage."

I swear, my mom is right: I WAS born under a Ziggy cloud.

I guess just have to hang in there for a little while longer... grumblegrumble..

Have a couple of odd jobs repairing cars to do, so at least I'll have two pennies to rub together for a little while!

[snorcus]

That is chitty luck

[OAC_Sparky]

Hopefully it's just temporary...

[Flofocus]

OAC_Sparky,Jul 23 2008, 10:53 AM Wrote:Hopefully it's just temporary...
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Yeah, I hope so too. A lot of you guys were pumped for this, so hoefully it pans out in the end for those guys.

s***ty deal! Stay positive thouh, I'm sure it will work out!

[ZX3_2NV]

yaa that totally sucks guys yaa ur hired ohh by the way we don't know when or if your gonna start, not cool at all sorry guys

[meford4u]

Welcome to the world of Ford. And almost all NA automakers.

If it were me, I would move on. If you think the 3rd shift will fly for any length of time in a plant without a small car to build, your kidding yourself. You'll be in and out of the plant with layoffs for years without a small car to build.

I've told Aaron to ignore Ford and move on to a better paying job in his field as a mechanic.

Things happen for a reason. I would call this a blessing.

[ANTHONYD]

That's horrible fellas.
It looked as if a whole of you had your futures all locked up.

Chin up guys.

[torradan]

I kinda didn't put all my eggs in one basket, but it sure is a kick in the beanbag.

Plus it was giving me a chance to get out of IT because I really don't want to do it anymore. Sick of trying to get a job, not getting a job because I don't have the required skills, and no way of getting said skills without getting a job to learn them.

I dunno, if nothing comes up, and this does pan out, I'll probably take it for a while, and then go learn a trade or something to get me away from a desk. Electrician or mechanic would be good, but unfortunately I'll need yet another piece of paper to let people know I know what I'm doing.

[Flofocus]

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008...295301-sun.html

[ZX3_2NV]

you beat me to it Flo i was just reading it in the paper and was looking for a softcopy online

[hardk0re]

#$$@#%@ Holes.

There should be some law against promising a job then taking it away...especially a company large enough to know better.

[NefCanuck]

hardk0re,Jul 29 2008, 02:12 PM Wrote:#$$@#%@ Holes.

There should be some law against promising a job then taking it away...especially a company large enough to know better.
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Sadly in this case Ford is completely clean WRT to Ontario labour laws (and I'm sure this passes the sniffer of their contract with the CAW as well)

It really sucks for those that got screwed over though <_<

NefCanuck

[SL8RZZX3]

I don't understand how they feel anything was promised to them?

I know i was asked if i was willing to accept the position they were offering and if i waswilling to go to the Orientaion they had set up... and i was leary of giving my notice at work since i wasn't told wheather i'd be working after the week of orientation

And being in the automotive industry i know my job there wouldn't have been even remotely secure for 3 months until i became a part of the Union, and then after that it would still be dependant on the demand of sales

However i still hope that something will come of it and a 3rd shift will still happen