The axe fell for 212 long-term employees at Ford’s Australian operations in the state of Victoria on Friday, November 16, after six months of negotiations over redundancies.
In July, Ford had said that it would make 440 workers redundant at its Geelong and Broadmeadows plants. Only 118 workers took voluntary packages offered by the Blue Oval, while the automaker managed to find jobs for 110 employees within the company.
Ford blamed a slump in car sales and the high Australian dollar for the cuts as it was forced to reduce production.
Australia’s News reported that the move came less than a year after the Australian government gave Ford AU$34 million for the development of the next Falcon in January. At the time, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that government’s investment would help create 300 jobs.
The opposition, of course, took note and lashed out against the Prime Minister with its industry spokeswoman Sophie Mirabella stating: “Ford workers have been ripped off by Gillard’s lie. Instead of the promised 300 new jobs, we have seen 330 jobs cut.”
At the recent 2012 Sydney Motor Show, Ford teased the next Falcon model, expected in 2014, through a screening on its wall.
Thanks to Matt J. for the tip!
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