Ford Almussafes extends the current ERTE until October 31 for productive reasons with 10 more days of stoppages in the manufacture of vehicles and engines, which will affect the entire workforce partially or totally with the same economic and labor conditions agreed till the date.
Thus, the extension of this mechanism, approved with the support of the majority union UGT, establishes the scheduled stoppages at the vehicle manufacturing and engine assembly plant for August 29; September 2, 5, 12, 16, 29 and 30; and October 7, 17 and 24. For its part, in mechanized engines it would affect September 10, 11, 24, 25 and October 1, 2, 22, 23, 29 and 30. However, these dates are indicative.
Ford justifies this new extension in a "substantial" drop in the vehicle production programs planned by Ford Spain due to the shortage of semiconductors that began in December and that "far from being solved, continues to hit the factories hard, which is forcing the entire sector to stop for weeks to coordinate the supply of components with manufacturing capacity. In addition, to this shortage of chips, "the uncertainty and supply problems due to the invasion of Ukraine" have been added.
Likewise, it points out that the demand for motors is being "much lower than expected" due to the global shortage of semiconductors, supplier capacity problems due to the pandemic, and difficulties in the logistics sector to meet deliveries and deadlines. scheduled shipments.
Ford points out that the staff of the engine plant is sized to manufacture 1,850 per day in two production shifts and their corresponding parts in Machining plus the demand for machining components for Clevaland.
For this reason, it argues that when "all the available palliative measures are exhausted and the need to manufacture a reduced number of engines and machining components remains during the months of August to October, it is necessary to adapt the productive capacity to the production demand during this time frame".
From UGT they have noted that once again this union has been the only one to agree on the extension of the ERTE.
For his part, the representative of STM Ford, Dani Portillo, has indicated that they understand "the dire and unfortunate external situation" that affects the entire automobile industry, but has justified his opposition to maintaining the same economic conditions.
In any case, he requests that the strike days be fulfilled on the announced dates because "we are accustomed to changes from one day to the next and these changes affect family reconciliation."
