Indianapolis - The nation's number two automaker will cut tens of thousands of jobs. Those cuts will include thousands of hourly and salaried workers in Indiana.
Ford announced it will sell or close its steering gear plant in Indianapolis by the end of 2008, idling 2,200 workers. It's still not clear how the announcement would impact Visteon plants in Connersville and Bedford. They supply parts for Ford.
Ford dropped a bomb on Friday, announcing it would close two plants, cut more than 10,000 salaried workers and offer buy-outs to all of its 75,000 US hourly workers. In addition, the company says it will close or sell its Automotive Components Holdings operation.
"We're also announcing today that ACH is accelerating it's efforts and will sell or close all facilities by the end of 2008," said Mark Fields, Ford's executive vice president.
That includes the steering gear plant in Indianapolis, affecting 2,000 workers. Ford took over the plant, in operation since 1957, last year from Visteon Corporation. On Friday, ACH said Ford's restructuring only speeds up a plan to sell or close the plant. Workers are now faced with accepting a buy-out or wait to see if the plant is sold.
"I've got 31 year's in here and I'm only 51. So I'm going to have to stick around until there ain't no pony to ride anymore," said Joe Clements, ACH worker.
United Auto Workers local 1111 declined to comment on the fate of the plant and the over 1,700 hourly workers it represents at the east side Indianapolis facility.
"Well, it don't sound good the way they're talkin' and everything. Anything could happen," said Everett Mitchell, ACH worker.
City officials, saying they're still absorbing the announcement, will try to persuade Ford to sell the plant instead of closing it. "We think we have the best autoworkers in America here in Indianapolis so we'd like to keep them working and we're going to work to keep that plant open in humanly possible," said Mayor Bart Peterson.
With a two-year cushion, workers at the Indianapolis plant debate whether to accept a buy-out offer from the automaker or take the chance that a savior will step in and keep the plant going.
Visteon, which supplies parts for Ford, has plants in Bedford and Connersville. It is unclear how Friday's announcement affect those facilities. Ford calls the steps it is taking massive - in order to remold itself into a smaller, more competitive company.
