Vic: Ford to keep most workers on until Monday

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2007
Vic: Ford to keep most workers on until Monday

MELBOURNE, April 20 AAP - Car manufacturer Ford says it will be able to keep most of
its workers on until Monday, regardless of whether its key supplier accepts a rescue package
today.

Parts supplier Coghlan and Russell Engineering went into administration and stood down
49 staff members last week.

Today Coghlan and Russell's employees, who are chasing $1.85 million in entitlements,
were set to vote on whether to accept a Ford rescue package worth more than $500,000 and
return to work.

While the outcome of the vote was not yet known this afternoon, Ford spokeswoman Sinead
McAlary said the company had reorganised its operations so it could keep all but 400 of
its own workers on until Monday, regardless of whether Coghlan and Russell employees returned
to work.

However, there was no guaranteed work for them beyond Monday, she said.

It had earlier been feared about 3,500 Ford workers would be stood down this afternoon.

The 400 affected workers would be stood down without pay at the end of their shift
today, but other employees had been advised to go to work on Monday.

"We remain hopeful that the Coghlan and Russell employees will return to work on Monday
morning, as they are being recommended to do by the administrator," Ms McAlary said.

"If they choose not to, our ability to continue production at Broadmeadows and our
other Geelong operations is severely compromised."

AAP kn/ce/srp/bwl

KEYWORD: FORD WORKERS

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