Ford offers 2 buyout packages to workers

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is offering another round of buyouts to its UAW workers.

Interested employees have until Jan. 22 to accept the buyout offers, said Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans. Ford did not indicate a goal for the number of buyouts it is seeking.

Ford is offering two different buyout packages:

—All active workers with at least one year of seniority would receive a lump sum payment of $50,000, as well as the choice of a $25,000 voucher or $20,000 cash and six months of basic health care coverage.

—All skilled-trades workers who are eligible to retire would receive a $40,000 lump sum payment while non-skilled trades workers would receive a $25,000 lump sum payment.

Both groups also would have the option of either a $25,000 voucher toward the purchase of a car or a $20,000 cash payment.

It is the second time this year that the company has
offered buyouts to its hourly workers. Only about 1,000 of Ford’s more
than 41,000 hourly workers in the United States accepted a buyout package that expired at the end of June.

At the time, workers told the Detroit Free Press that most of the hourly employees who wanted to leave the company already accepted buyouts offered in earlier years.

Ford informed the UAW on Thursday of the offers, said Nick Kottalis, president and chairman of the Dearborn Truck unit of UAW Local 600.

Kottalis said he doubts the interest will be any
greater this time around. Plus, Kottalis said workers are angry that
the buyout offers, while voluntary, come just one week after Ford
announced that it would resume merit pay next year for its salaried
workforce.

“Everybody is insulted,” Kottalis said. “At least everybody at the Dearborn Truck Plant is insulted.”

Said Evans: “Even though Ford’s overall business
position is improving, we do still have a surplus of employees in the
manufacturing system.”