By NOEL MURPHY
FORD and federal Liberal MPs have embarked on a charm offensive ahead of 120 job cuts set for the auto-maker’s North Geelong plant next month.
Coalition MPs on a post budget “positivity” campaign this week restated the company’s ambition to be the country’s biggest auto employer after a series of large-scale job culls in the industry.
Member for Corangamite Sarah Henderson and the Industry Minister’s parliamentary secretary, Bob Baldwin, visited Ford’s You Yangs proving ground to publicise “some wonderful capabilities in innovation, research, science and advanced manufacturing on which we can and must build”.
They inspected vehicle and wind-tunnel testing for a Ford Everest prototype.
Ford Geelong sources told the Independent this week that 20 workers had “put their hands up” for redundancy packages to be available on 20 June.
They expected a further 100 to also leave.
The latest round of sackings precede the anticipated 2016 closure of Ford manufactuing in Geelong and follow its worst-ever financial performance, a loss of $267 million last year, amid plummeting sales.
The 120 Ford jobs will go weeks ahead of another 800 sackings at Alcoa’s Point Henry complex.
Ms Henderson was at pains to stress the positives amid the job cuts.
“I know that for many who have lost their job this has been a very tough time. That’s why it’s so important to promote our regional capabilities, which will help attract new businesses and new jobs to our region.
“After ending manufacturing, Ford will continue to employ 1500 people in Australia, with 190 at the You Yangs proving ground and 300 at the Geelong research and development centre.”
