Negotiation to ease the burden of the complicated employment regulation file at Ford begins this Thursday for the Almussafes plant. The unions were summoned at 10:30 am to sit down with the company and explore options aimed at reducing layoffs that would affect about 960 workers in manufacturing and 140 in engines, lowering the overall headcount to 1,144, which is roughly one fifth of the plant’s total workforce. Yet, despite the sizable numbers, the day before highlighted how tough it will be to trim positions, with UGT, the dominant union, and STM-Intersindical pointing out the hurdles in making a meaningful reduction in production.
From the center of union leadership, concerns were voiced about the sheer scale of the potential layoffs. There is a sense that an opportunity to shrink the payroll in the current file is unlikely, especially given the absence of parallel measures seen in earlier cases where a larger battery assembly capacity was paired with the extraction process. The sentiment is clear: there is none of that option this time around.
no more worries
Yet the concerns extend beyond staffing numbers. STM-Intersindikal has underscored that one of the principal negotiation points will be maintaining fair workloads for remaining staff. The risk of heavier work duties could arise if early departures are heavily relied upon, given the high percentage of voluntary exits the company plans to pursue.
The conversation also centers on who will fill the roles vacated by those who leave, especially if the target for reductions is not met. As seen in the 2021 ERE, there is an emphasis on maximizing exits through early retirement. However, with UGT signaling a likely cap on this route, it could limit the total number of voluntary departures. Some estimates place the exits at around 500 to 600 workers, while others foresee around half of the planned reductions leaving through early retirement or similar schemes. The aim remains to balance workforce adjustments with continued production needs.
half of the outputs
If the realized rate is at that level, roughly half of the expected reductions would still be necessary. This gap concerns the unions, who fear they may not reach the remaining figure through voluntary departures alone. They noted that the company has indicated the situation is more challenging than two years ago, with factors such as recent German exits and the closure of the Saarlouis plant cited as context for the bargaining difficulty. The negotiators stress that the objective is to preserve jobs while aligning capacity with market demand, not to push workers out unnecessarily.
Against this backdrop, there is concern that the multinational may present a formal offer that could be less favorable than in previous years. For example, in the past some workers who left the plant were offered compensation up to a certain age with extended retirement terms, along with other benefits. The current discussions are expected to weigh the balance between early exit incentives and the long-term stability of the remaining workforce, ensuring that any voluntary departures are fair and aligned with the plant’s operational plans. This negotiation will require careful calibration to avoid abrupt disruptions while safeguarding workers’ livelihoods and the plant’s competitiveness. Analysts note that the outcome will be watched closely by other manufacturing sites in the region and beyond, as Ford Leroux Almussafes serves as a bellwether case for similar workforce adjustments in the automotive sector.