In a strongly worded letter to the corporate headquarters in the USA, employee representatives from Ford in Germany, Spain, and the UK are demanding prompt clarity on the production strategy for the upcoming years.
“What car models will be produced? What are the respective production figures? Who is involved in the development? And where will the cars be manufactured?” These are the core questions outlined in the letter obtained by Handelsblatt. Benjamin Gruschka, the overall works council chief of the German Ford plants, emphasizes the need for certainty about the long-term perspective. Many employees are concerned about their jobs.
Ford plans to produce more electric vehicles in the next few years, as reported by Handelsblatt. However, in exchange, the company intends to reduce its presence in Europe – approximately 3,800 positions are slated to be cut by 2025, primarily in development. Employees at almost all European sites will be affected.
Despite the announcement of two new electric models, uncertainty looms at the Cologne headquarters. Reportedly, the production start of the Explorer has been postponed to summer 2024. Additionally, the development center in Aachen is set to close by mid-2024. The future of the Saarlouis plant remains unclear after the cessation of combustion engine production in 2025.
Ford acknowledges that the electric business is currently incurring losses. According to the quarterly report, losses recently exceeded one billion US dollars. Against this backdrop, investments in this area have been partially put on hold.
Despite the ambitious electrification plans – aiming to sell only electric cars in Europe by 2030 – the workforce feels there’s a lack of perspective for the coming years, especially concerning passenger cars.
READ MORE: Sam Altman Returns as OpenAI CEO Amid Board Reshuffle and Intense Negotiations
