Ford workers started their second 24-hour strike in five days at a Belgian plant on Friday, continuing their labour action over the company’s decision last week ago to eliminate 3,000 jobs and cancel promised investment, a Detroit News wire report said.
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The report said the day-long strike was called early on Friday following newspaper articles highlighting rumors the plant in Genk, which employs 8,300, would have to close over the next years.
“The articles were quickly known and work at the plant subsequently stopped,” union spokesman Gerard Ignoul reportedly said.
The report noted that, over the past days, the workers had already shortened their shift by two hours and, by blocking the gate and keeping out car parts, they also affected production at the plant.
Unions reportedly said Ford managers had warned this week they would start sending workers home without pay unless production returned to normal.
Production was interrupted from October 1, when unions blocked the delivery of parts from suppliers.
Ford cited sagging sales and rising costs for the job eliminations and investment cuts of some $US1.05 billion at the Belgian plant, the Detroit News report noted.
