The last works council meetings of the factory Ford Aquitaine Industrie (FAI) of Blanquefort (Gironde) have not changed the fate of the 872 employees, who will be fired on August 31, 2019 even if the unions still want to fight with the state against the decision of the automaker.
Ford representatives confirmed on December 17 their position announced December 13 not to follow the recovery plan of the Belgian group Punch Powerglide that three of the four union organizations present in the EC had validated and had received active support from the government.
Ford responds to criticism
Ford Motor Company (FMC) recalled in a statement on December 18 that its priority had been to “find a reliable buyer.” We have always said that every buyer must have a viable, long-term business plan and that any deal should be reasonable, realistic and in the interest of the employees of FAI, Ford and the buyer “.
For Ford, “such a business plan … would have required, for example, guarantees provided by contractually committed customers to ensure a sustainable volume of continuous production over a given period, as well as the liquidity needed to maintain the viability of the business in the early years. “
The plan of Punch, already buyer of the gearbox factory of General Motors in Strasbourg in 2013, included saving 400 jobs, the reclassification of 100 to 150 employees in the factory Getrag neighbor FAI, whose Ford is co shareholder and single client, and voluntary departures in pre-retirement from 300 to 350 others.
Passing from words to deeds
An announcement that put local officials and a majority of employees angry, the Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Mayor saying “revolted” by this decision, especially as the state and local authorities were ready to put their hand in the pocket for about 16 million euros.
Hope has been given by Emmanuel Macron who, from Brussels, had “denounced” a “hostile and unacceptable gesture” from Ford and indicated that a discussion was going to engage Bruno Le Maire and the American group hoping that it would allow “to achieve results.”
“We do not give up and we are now waiting for the government to turn words into action,” said CGT delegate Philippe Poutou.
“The buyer remains motivated to take over the factory”
In a statement, the EC asked “solemnly Ford group to review his copy” to give a new chance to Punch until the end of March 2019, the PSE can be resumed in case of failure or lightened in case of recovery.
“The Secafi firm’s expert, mandated by the EC, had a contact with the firm of Bruno Le Maire who confirmed to him that they continued to work on the file, to look for solutions and the buyer remains motivated to resume the factory, “Vincent Alauze, one of the CGT’s elected representatives at the EC, told Reuters.
The mayor of Bordeaux and president of Bordeaux Métropole, Alain Juppé, said he hoped, “maybe the impossible, that is to say change Ford decision”. For its part, Jean-Luc Gleyze, the president of the Gironde department, announced that he was asking for reimbursement of 1.32 million euros in subsidies paid to Ford.
A social plan
Ford said the Direccte (Regional Directorate for Business, Competition, Consumer Affairs, Labor and Employment) would be asked to approve its PSE, which will have 21 days to respond.
According to Ford, FAI has submitted a social plan that includes a reclassification leave of extended duration from October 2019, a plan for early termination of very favorable activity, a redeployment at GFT, as well as other measures. to help employees turn to other employers or pursue other career opportunities.
It was in February 2018 that Ford Motor Company announced its decision to no longer invest in its Blanquefort factory, which specializes in the manufacture of automatic transmissions, and planned an outright closure by the end of 2019 if no credible buyer was present.
In 2000, Ford had already sold the plant to HZ Holding, a German company that had failed to maintain sufficient activity there. Under pressure from public authorities and unions, the American manufacturer had resumed its plant in 2011 and committed in 2013 to maintain 1000 jobs until May 2018 conditional on payments of public aid. Established in 1972, the Blanquefort factory counted up to 3,600 employees in 2000.
With Reuters (Edited by Yves Clarisse)