Once the agreement on the conditions of the ERE at Ford Almussafes has been reached, the inevitable question for its 5,900 employees is: "How much would I get paid if I leave?" To facilitate an individualized answer, the company distributed on Tuesday some tables that, with the help of sources familiar with the negotiation, help to decipher the amounts. The ERE will have early retirements of up to 3,000 euros per month and layoffs of up to 180,000 euros gross. "It is Ford's most expensive exit plan," the company said during the talks, as revealed to El Español-Invertia.
The figures come out of the most beneficial realistic scenarios for the workers. The early retirements, according to the sources consulted, will have a monthly prorated compensation of between 2,000 and 3,000 euros per employee (depending on their rank and age), in addition to the social security contributions that the company will also make. On average, each early retirement will cost the multinational around 300,000 euros.
As far as severance payments are concerned, as the tables show, these could reach astronomical figures. So much so that an administrative or engineering employee (table 2) of grade 8 and 28 years in the company would receive a whopping 232,673 euros, plus an additional 40,000 euros if he leaves before July.
However, the sources consulted point out that this would not be a plausible case, because employees with so many years in the company could take early retirement, which is more advantageous, and because administrative or engineering employees in grade 8 are in the grade prior to management, and are not a profile that is in favor of leaving.
From a realistic perspective, it is possible to take as a maximum the possible dismissal of an administrative or engineering employee with grade 7 and 20 years of seniority, who would receive 140,165 euros in severance pay, plus an additional 40,000 euros for leaving before the summer. In this case, the amount would rise above the aforementioned 180,000 euros gross.
As for factory workers, a worker with grade 9 and 20 years of experience would receive 108,453 euros in severance pay plus 40,000 euros if he leaves before July, so that the total would be close to 150,000 euros gross. Ford's complete tables, attached below, allow us to compare each individual case.
The ERE will finally affect 1,124 workers, 20 less than planned (19% of the total of 5,900). Twenty technicians and administrative staff who will soon take on new functions in the Ford España organization for the electrification of its vehicles have been left out.
The plan includes incentive sick leave of 45 days per year worked with a maximum of 42 monthly payments. Also the aforementioned extra contribution of up to 40,000 euros for leaving before July, which will be 20,000 euros if the leave takes place between July and October.
Early retirements will start from the age of 53, with a salary that will increase from 75% to 80% on reaching the age of 57. The conditions are the same for employees aged 54. Workers who are 55 or 56 years old, on the other hand, will be able to take early retirement at 80% of salary, a percentage which will rise to 85% when they reach 57 years of age.
In addition to the severance payments, the company, as shown in the following table, will limit the maximum age at which it will assume the social benefits of the youngest early retirees from 62 years of age. It is understood that those who take early retirement will have reached that age and will have already accumulated enough years to retire through the conventional retirement system.
Ford Almussafes dispenses with the aforementioned 1,124 employees to face the production valley it faces until 2026. The factory has a long-term future, because it has been chosen by Ford to manufacture two of the brand's new 100% electric cars. But it faced a large staff surplus until it reached that milestone.
"Approximately 1,100 jobs are affected, primarily due to the already announced cessation of production of the S-Max and Galaxy models in April 2023. Ford will work constructively with the unions to reduce the impact of this situation on employees, their families and the local community," the company told its workers in its first statement.
The plant has retained for a few months the production of the Connect van that it was going to lose, but it is also going to stop producing it. It should be recalled that it also recently lost production of the Ford Mondeo.
