THREE hundred workers at Ford’s Victorian plants will lose their jobs well before the car maker ceases manufacturing in Australia in 2016, it was announced.
Union representatives and employees were devastated when told of the told of the cuts on Thurnsday morning – a result of production at the company’s Broadmeadows and Geelong plants being trimmed by a third.
“It’s news nobody wanted to hear, but we saw it coming,” worker Ray Caruana said.
“We expected it next year but, at this stage, we just want it all over and done with,” Angelo Mazzarella, 38, added.
For long-time employee Zuna, who did not give her surname, the announcement meant her whole family could be out of work within months.
The 62-year-old Bundoora woman, who works at the plant with husband Billy, 62, and son Gordon, 39, was counting on having the job until the plant closed in 2016.
While confident her son would find more work, she believed she and her husband would be forced into early retirement.
“It’s too late for us,” she said. “We hope we have another two years.”
After 26 years at the plant, Betty Mance, 52, feels the same way.
“It’s sad,” the Hillside woman said.
“This company is like family to us. But cars are not selling.”
Ford union representative and body shop worker Pat Caruso, 39, said the announcement had been hard to take for those paying off mortgages and those with families depending on them.
Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said there would also be down days or factory shutdowns as demand for Falcon and Territory models made at the plants declines.
“We informed the manufacturing unions leadership this morning,” Mr Sherwood said.
Dave Smith, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union vehicle division secretary, said that he was devastated by the job losses and labelled the lack of government industry support as “madness”.
He said that there were now no guarantees that Ford would stay until 2016 as it planned.
“That’s always been there intent but that’s not set in concrete,” he said.
Ford will close its manufacturing in October 2016.
But Mr Sherwood said the latest models of Falcon and Territory cars were still on track.
The company will expand its retail range in 2017.
Mr Smith said that Ford’s announcement added to pressure on Toyota, which will be Victoria’s last manufacturer when Holden also closes its doors in 2017.
He said that the Federal Government was putting at risk more than 30,000 jobs because of its “ideological” campaign against industry support.
“Just 300 jobs has created a media storm, if Toyota leaves there’s going to be 30,000 jobs all existing at the same time,” he said.
“The Federal Government are just locked into this madness.”
Manufacturing Minister David Hodgett said that the job losses were disappointing.
“This further highlights the need to support Ford and Holden right up until they cease manufacturing in Victoria in 2016/17, both for the good of the workers themselves and the wider supply chain. We will continue working for this outcome,” he said.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said the latest Ford jobs blow showed Victoria was falling behind.
“This is devastating news for workers in Geelong and Broadmeadows,” he said.
“Denis Napthine did nothing to save these jobs at Ford.
“Every day, our state is losing jobs. Our biggest companies are closing their doors, shops are shutting and the economy is hurting.”
In May last year Ford has announced its plants at Broadmeadows and Geelong will close their doors in October 2016, resulting in the loss of 650 and 510 jobs respectively.
At the time Victorian Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said the end of manufacturing at Ford was a black day, but it has strengthened the case for the DisabilityCare headquarters to be based in Geelong.
Mr Ryan said the state government would provide $9 million for affected workers and the federal government would provide $30 million.
source: heraldsun.com.au
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