Lower production, smaller work force

Lower production, smaller work force

Chicago Ford Assembly plant workers consider buyouts

BY ANDREA HOLECEK
holecek@nwitimes.com
219.933.3316

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Thursday, November 16, 2006 12:44 AM CST

CHICAGO | The Chicago Ford Assembly plant recently reduced the speed of its production line by more than 30 percent, a move that gives Ford the ability to reduce its work force by that percentage.

The plant at 12600 Torrence Ave. currently builds the Ford 500, Ford Freestyle and Mercury Montego. The plant's production slow down is in conjunction with the Ford Motor Co. plan to slash vehicle production by 20 percent in the fourth quarter to meet slower demand.

"After the line rate reduction, each operator will have more time to perform additional work because each unit (vehicle) passes through their work station at a slower rate," said United Auto Workers Local 551 Chairman Tony Tallarita, in a message to his membership. "As work stations are removed and workload from one operator to another are split up and added to other operations, we will be left with fewer jobs at the plant."

The plant, which has 2,400 hourly workers, began the production slow down on Nov. 6 when workers returned from a three-week layoff. Their return was in the middle of the Oct. 16 to Nov. 27 period when those eligible could accept one of the eight buyout packages being offered to UAW members.

Ford plans to close 16 North American plants by 2012 and eliminate as many as 30,000 factory jobs and 10,000 white-collar positions by 2008. To speed job cuts, the automaker has offered buyout and retirement incentives up to $140,000 to its 76,000 employees represented by the UAW.

Currently those who have accepted buyout packages are being used as extras on the line, said Ford Assembly plant veteran David Schoenecker, of Valparaiso.

"They're reducing production and operational tasks so there's no need to train them on new jobs if they're leaving," he said.

Carl Bryant, president of UAW Local 551, which represents the plant's hourly workers, said Wednesday he doesn't know the exact number of workers who already have accepted layoffs. If enough workers accept buyouts, layoffs won't be necessary, he said.

"I don't know what number they're looking for," Bryant said. "I don't know the mind set of the company, so I don't know if there will be enough or not. They'll see how many they need. If enough people take the plan they won't have to get rid of any. I know the company wants to get people out of here."

Schoenecker said many workers who had decided to accept a buyout apparently changed their minds during the layoff period.

"It seems like people are waking up to the realization of what it would mean," he said.