Parts Shortage Forces Ford to Idle 3,000 Workers
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Jan 25th 2011 10:00AM
Updated Jan 25th 2011 10:02AM
Some 3,000 workers at Ford Motor's (F) truck plant in Dearborn, Mich., have been idled because of a shortage of parts needed to manufacture engines installed in the company's popular line of pickup trucks.The workers will be on temporary layoff for about a week, The Detroit News reported. The plant manufactures the popular F-150 pickup truck, but a parts shortage has affected the availability of two types of V-6 engines, both of which are manufactured at Ford's engine plant in Cleveland.
Company policy forbids Ford from naming the parts-supplier, Ford spokesman Todd Nissen told the newspaper. But Nissen noted that the problem was caused by lack of capacity, not a quality issue.
The engines account for two of the four choices available in the F-150, one of the most popular vehicles sold in the U.S. and a source of healthy profits for Ford.
While on layoff, the workers will receive unemployment benefits, with Ford contributing an amount that raises wages up to about 95% of the employees' take-home pay, according to the News.
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