By NOEL MURPHY
FORD was wrong blaming fringe benefits tax (FBT) changes for staff down days and the tough Christmas now facing Geelong auto workers, according to union boss Dave Smith.
“I think they used it as a bit of an excuse, to be quite honest,” the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) vehicle division national secretary told the Independent.
“The company was pretty quick to jump on the FBT changes only days after they were announced. There were no sales figures then to base the decision on down days on.”
The Independent revealed last month that Ford workers would have 12 down days in August and September, with the company blaming Rudd Government changes to the FBT. More could be needed before Christmas as well, Ford said.
Mr Smith said Ford sales had “fallen off a cliff” as a result of the company’s shutdown announcement and market perceptions about supply.
“As soon as they announced the cessation of manufacturing, numbers dropped.
“There was always going to be drop in figures as a direct consequence – that’s why their sales have fallen off a cliff.”
New figures are set to show Ford Falcon sales slumping to their worst showing in more than half a century, with an overall decrease of 20 per cent on this time last year.
“Look at Falcon-versus-Commodore sales – last month the Commodore went up 374 vehicles while the Falcon went down 780 on the previous year,” Mr Smith said.
“Now there’s an inconsistency that doesn’t add up. Toyota Aurion went down nine – that’s got to tell you something.”
AMWU representatives and Ford management will meet this Friday to discuss anticipated down days over the coming months and retraining for workers who will lose their jobs when the company stops manufacturing in Australia in 2016.
Ford last month announced a raft of new models and initiatives in a $2 million charm offensive in Sydney – including 11 global vehicles to be available by 2017 along with new technologies, features, apps and research and development plans.
Ford spokesperson Sinead Phipps had not returned the Independent’s calls for comment before the paper went to press.
