Ford says it has a plan, but doesn’t clarify workers’ future

Almussafes continues to focus on the Spanish automotive industry. Factory production lines Ford They continue to work with rare stops, but decisions about their future are only postponed and postponed.

Although Volkswagen’s decision to build a plant in Sagunto seemed decisive when it came to preserving the plant, events that occurred over time left the American company’s true plans for the plant in question.

The latest we know is that Ford has taken an approach where it guarantees production will remain in place, but the timing remains unclear at this point.

Ford and Almussafes, constant headache

“Ford Europe Vice President Kieran Caghill told us that the company working on an alternative to solve the problem that we have in Valencia due to the uncertainty that the electric car currently creates.” These are the words of the UGT, the majority union at the plant, collected Valencia Plaza.

Local media have repeated the latest contacts between the factory committee of the Valencia plant and the directors of Ford in Europe, who continue to push for an agreement that will clarify once and for all what the future of the company will be on our continent and more precisely on Spanish soil.

Almussafes continues to be in turmoil. In recent years, the plant has seen lose Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy that since they are not replaced or changed directions, they are temporarily stopped due to lack of work. Along the way, workers agreed to a harsh ERE, causing more than 1,000 workers to leave the company.

And on the other side of the coin are promises. In 2022, Ford decided to produce two new electric vehicles in Europe in Almussafes. It was clear that Volkswagen’s Sagunto plant, with which they collaborate on future models, was key, and the Valencia plant was positioned as the most logical option.

In fact, the American company left Germany and announced more than 3,000 layoffs in Europe. But despite everything, the electric car does not bring good results to the company, which forced its managers to reconsider the road map. A change of plans that froze the situation in Almussafes.

It seemed Ford wanted to significantly reduce its workforce on our continent and electrify the Valencia plant to produce your own electric cars. But since it became official that the company had opted for Spanish workers, everything remains in doubt.

Gradually, the situation grew tired of the workers, who had been asking the company for more than a year to clarify their future. What was originally a short-term strategic plan is now extending its timeline, with the company already warning last year that production of new electric models could be delayed until 2027.

UGT sees the company’s approach with some hope. They note that for a long time they did not receive a response from Ford, with whom they have to deal. We’ll see you in April at the latest. But the fact that managers have assured the team that they have a plan for the future of the plant in their hands means reopening a door that has been on the verge of closing for some time.

It now remains to be seen what these plans are, how they will affect workers and what output they expect from Almussafes, which has been under pressure for almost two years despite allegedly being the company’s choice for its future electricity plans. .

In Hatak | “We are no longer competitive as a brand”: Volkswagen CEO predicts layoffs and layoffs unprecedented in its history

Photo | Ford