About 1,700 Ford Motor Co's workers accepted early retirement buyouts that were offered last fall as part of the No 2 US automaker's labour contract with the United Auto Workers union, a Ford spokeswoman said on Friday. About 920 of those who accepted the buyouts were higher-paid skilled-trades workers, Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said on Friday. The majority of Ford workers taking the payouts will leave the company by June 1.
In all, workers taking the buyout represent 4 percent of the 41,000 UAW workers employed by Ford. The buyouts allow Ford to hire entry-level workers who begin at $15.78 an hour, about half the wage of a veteran UAW worker. Under Ford's UAW contract, eligible production workers who take an early retirement package will get a $50,000 bonus, while skilled-trades workers will receive a $100,000 payout. In October, Ford said it expected up to 1,000 skilled-trades workers would take the buyout offer. Ford also has 250 workers on indefinite layoff, who can also be rehired to fill the vacant spots.