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| Ford Transit factory cuts shift | Ford Transit factory cuts shift |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Workers at Southampton's Ford factory are facing a cut in earnings after the firm said it was replacing its two-shift working day with a single shift. | Workers at Southampton's Ford factory are facing a cut in earnings after the firm said it was replacing its two-shift working day with a single shift. |
| The factory, which makes Transit vans, will also close for 20 days over the next three months. | The factory, which makes Transit vans, will also close for 20 days over the next three months. |
| The announcement on Tuesday came on the day 1,100 staff returned to work after a Christmas break which was extended due to a downturn in vehicle sales. | The announcement on Tuesday came on the day 1,100 staff returned to work after a Christmas break which was extended due to a downturn in vehicle sales. |
| The company has said there will be no job losses at the plant in Swaythling. | The company has said there will be no job losses at the plant in Swaythling. |
| Ford said it was responding to "significantly reduced medium commercial vehicle sales across Europe" and said more than 50% of the plant output's was exported. | Ford said it was responding to "significantly reduced medium commercial vehicle sales across Europe" and said more than 50% of the plant output's was exported. |
| The firm said it was aligning shift patterns with required vehicle volumes. This is a further blow both to the plant and to local workers Sandra Gidley MP | The firm said it was aligning shift patterns with required vehicle volumes. This is a further blow both to the plant and to local workers Sandra Gidley MP |
| "Production employees will work on this single daytime shift on a rotational basis and will receive full basic pay," it said in a statement. | "Production employees will work on this single daytime shift on a rotational basis and will receive full basic pay," it said in a statement. |
| "Southampton plant is retaining its flexible shift pattern capability during this quarter so that it can respond to any future changes in demand. | "Southampton plant is retaining its flexible shift pattern capability during this quarter so that it can respond to any future changes in demand. |
| "Ford is taking all necessary measures to protect all its plants from creating excess stock and incurring the associated costs." | "Ford is taking all necessary measures to protect all its plants from creating excess stock and incurring the associated costs." |
| Reacting to the announcement by Ford, the area's Lib Dem MP Sandra Gidley said the move would amount to a reduction in workers' pay of more than 15%. | Reacting to the announcement by Ford, the area's Lib Dem MP Sandra Gidley said the move would amount to a reduction in workers' pay of more than 15%. |
| "This is a further blow both to the plant and to local workers," she said. | "This is a further blow both to the plant and to local workers," she said. |
| "Unfortunately though, this is not a surprise, as the government has not yet provided the support that Ford bosses and I have been calling for. | "Unfortunately though, this is not a surprise, as the government has not yet provided the support that Ford bosses and I have been calling for. |
| "While I welcome the news that no jobs will be sacrificed within the first quarter, and I commend Ford's unwavering commitment to production in Southampton, this constant slide from one desperate measure to the next cannot continue forever." | "While I welcome the news that no jobs will be sacrificed within the first quarter, and I commend Ford's unwavering commitment to production in Southampton, this constant slide from one desperate measure to the next cannot continue forever." |
| 'Economic reality' | |
| Mrs Gidley has written to Chancellor Alistair Darling calling for emergency aid for the factory. | Mrs Gidley has written to Chancellor Alistair Darling calling for emergency aid for the factory. |
| The factory had already implemented a four-day week due to "softening market conditions". | The factory had already implemented a four-day week due to "softening market conditions". |
| Ford plans to halve production of the Transit van at the site over the next three years. | Ford plans to halve production of the Transit van at the site over the next three years. |
| Ian Woodland, from the union Unite, also called for government assistance. | |
| "There's an economic reality, no-one is denying that," he said. | |
| "From the union's point of view we are cooperating fully with management and we hope things pick up again in the future. | |
| "Our workers are suffering financially, lucky though they still have jobs." |