I just listened to this on the morning news.
They are blaming losses on poor SUV and minivan sales.
There are many things to discuss but my question is,
do you think Ford will call back 25,000 workers if things get better?
i dont think so.
they dont want to be the next gm
Its just a shitty situation all the way around for US auto makers.
Does anyone know how Chrysler is fairing through all this?
I know in the early 80’s they were in the same boat that Ford and GM are right now, but they turned it around in the late 90’s.
It amazes me that Ford is in such trouble. F150 is the top selling vehicle in the world, the new Mustang was selling as fast as they came in when it launched and yet they still have to cut 20% of their work force.
Chrystler seems to be doing ok but i noticed that they arent turning out alot of affordable cars. Other than the PT cruiser and the replacement for the neon those are the only 2 cars that can be had for under 25,000. Thats a little high for alot of people to be able to afford.
the atlanta plant is scheduled to close, the twin cities plant, and oddly enough, the mexico plant is either closing or going into deep cuts. one of the explorer plants is also going to shut down. not sure what kind of cuts the buffalo plant will have, but it is not closing (at this time… 
)
Unions are driving them into the ground, period.
^^ agreed.
And with gas prices up people are less inclined to buy SUVS when you can have a ford five hundred do the same a lot cheaper.
Chrysler is appealing to a richer market now, but they do need to find their roots and have another K car, to get back us poor kids
no way would they bring them back. they will hire people that they can pay less. loyalty only goes so far with corperations… its all a numbers game
Amen! I was a teamster for a small part of my life, the only thing i liked about it was the fact i could say i was a teamster…Other than that unions are as greedy and car about as much for you as the company they are “protecting” you from.
they should do what chrysler is doing… if they get more demand… offer o/t by adding another shift… when theres not high demand, then they dont offer it.
Ford need to stop making stupid vehicles imo…
yea fuckin freestyle
With Unions, higher wages for workers to be paid, fucking medicare and it’s rising costs annually, corporations paying pensions to works that no longer contribute to revenue for the company, with budgets constantly getting tighter…economic factors, high-gas prices…this was long time coming…
they should take a look at what Toyota and Honda is doing
Operate out of japan? It could save ford but it might piss off some people.
The single largest expense of a car is the cost of UAW workers.
I expect to see that expense addressed.
Out sourcing(possibly offshore), automation, and robots do not have the costs that UAW workers do.
Robots, other types of automation and out sourcing do not have benefits/costs such as retirement, healthcare, large hourly rates, sick days, vacations, worker’s comp, other insurances, etc, etc, etc.
The return on automation investments gets more attractive everyday with other costs constantly rising and automation technology becoming more affordable.
I believe that 65% of the parts in the Ford Fusion are made outside of the USA. Im assuming thats b/c its based on the Mazda 6.Chances are that if you buy say a Nissan or such, you are more likely to help out American assembly workers than if you were to purchase a Fusion or similar economy based American brand.
I think he is refering to their “lean manufacturing” concepts.
Toyota makes 2 times the profit of any US car maker on each car sold.
If you are not familiar with lean manufacturing, it is concept started by an American but rejected by American automakers about 30 years ago.
Toyota was smart enough to adopt the lean priniples and is now a great model of lean manufacturing.
Many other Japanese companies also follow lean concepts.
US companies had to learn the hard way but now thousands of US companies are using lean methods to operate more efficiently.
It has expanded to “lean enterprise” not just manufacturing.
exactly.
The fact that the retirement package is so good and the number of people who are retired through ford is what really kills them
I wish I could remember how many thousands of dollars of each car is for people who are already retired!
I think it may be $2000-$3000 for GM but don’t quote me.
hahah yeah i got what he was saying but i had to give my smart ass comment anyway.