Ford workers in strike vote over threat to jobs
WORKERS at the Ford engine factory at Bridgend will learn today whether they will be taking industrial action over threatened job losses at the plant.
It follows months of anxiety over the threatened job losses which follow Ford’s announcement last autumn that it was cutting investment in the plant.
A ballot of members of the Unite union at the plant has closed and officials from the union will be meeting members today to discuss what happens next.
In a statement issued last night, Ford said it wanted to continue talking with unions.
The statement read: “As we have consistently stated, Ford remains committed to on-going constructive dialogue with our union partners, and we have proposed a dedicated work stream to examine future business opportunities for the Bridgend operation.
“We consider the recent industrial action ballot to have been premature, given that the opportunity for productive engagement, in line with established employee relations and working practices, has been and continues to be readily available.
“We also confirmed approval last year for a £100m investment for a new engine for Bridgend, and the plant remains full for the immediate future. There is nothing more to add at this time.”
Concerns about job losses at Bridgend emerged last September when the company announced it was cutting its investment in a new type of engine called Dragon, which will be produced in Bridgend from next year.
Ford said it was planning to cut its investment programme there from £181m to £100m and halve production of Dragon engines from the expected 250,000 units to 125,000.
It said the move was in response to changes in global demand and added that as a result the Dragon line would only need 550 workers and not 750 as originally expected.
In February it was reported that more than 1,000 jobs could go at the plant when production of two other engines ends in 2020.
In a document leaked at the time the company described Bridgend as “underperforming” and blamed staff absences, non-performance and work practices including paying staff allowances they were not entitled to and regular job rotation – claims angrily rejected by workers.