Ford Geelong: Toolroom closed.

[Buntz]

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/...4135_news.html

FORD has shut down toolroom operations at its North Geelong plant, making for the latest casualty at the beleaguered car-maker.

Fourteen workers are understood to have been redeployed throughout the plant and offered the option of redundancy packages.

"We spoke to employees in our toolroom operations this morning and advised that any further work requirements for that area would be outsourced in future and employees would be redeployed across other areas of the business," spokeswoman Sinead Phipps told the Geelong Advertiser.

"Work levels in the toolroom have dropped significantly in recent years and it makes more sense to outsource the low levels of work that are required."

Corio MP Richard Marles said it was important not to push the panic button on the shut down.

"It must be a disconcerting day for those involved and our thoughts go out to workers and their families, but there is some confidence that we're talking about a redeployment of workers," Mr Marles said.

The latest cuts to Ford's Australian operations follow a $34 million rescue package by state and federal governments after talks with Ford in the United States.

They come after sales figures showing the Falcon's fortunes plummeting and as Ford starts installing 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines in the company's flagship model.

"That new engine will come on stream next month," Ms Phipps said.

"But it is very important to note that it is in addition to our current engine line-up, which includes the I6 petrol and the EcoLPi variant."

Workers at the plant said the toolroom was effectively shut as of yesterday.
there though," one worker said.

"They will outsource the work but most, if not all, of the jobs will be absorbed within the company with an option to take a package."

[4.0i OHC]

So Ford are doing a 'Holden'. Disappointing.

[XARATE]

It makes sense to me? Work levels dropped, no point paying them to stand around doing nothing. And its not like theyve been fired, ford is looking after them and employing them in different areas. Its just a media hype about nothing. I dont see them reporting about the 15 workers fired from a local country supermarket.

[XRtowcar]

All the tooling is getting made overseas now anyways.
Guess the six cylinder line will be next.

[charles_wif_xf]

Is this engine tooling or panel tooling?

[InfernoSR]

Panel tooling mainly. My uncle was one of the shop managers and started the trend of grinding down their stamping presses when they got burred... shame to see it close.

[Jason[98.EL]]

they finished Friday night at 3.30 - 4 pm

[EDManual]

Can someone tell us about the sorts of thing the Tooling area did? Thanks!

[mik]

they are giving them the option of working elsewhere or a package at least, just one of many instances around oz currently, not just in car companies.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by XARATE

It makes sense to me? Work levels dropped, no point paying them to stand around doing nothing. And its not like theyve been fired, ford is looking after them and employing them in different areas. Its just a media hype about nothing. I dont see them reporting about the 15 workers fired from a local country supermarket.

Problem is these guys are tradesman, the jobs they would have been offered to transfer to would be production work, at a significantly reduced pay.

Originally Posted by EDManual

Can someone tell us about the sorts of thing the Tooling area did? Thanks!

The tool room was reponsible for making all the dies and tooling for the whole site. They also did the die maintanence.

At one stage it was the biggest toolroom in the southern hemisphere, they even made tailplanes for Boeing. It all went down hill after Territory was released back in 2004 and has been running on a skeleton crew since, with some extra work for FG being one of the few projects they have done since then, as Ford rarely does any panel changes now.

My dad started his apprenticeship there back in '66 as a toolmaker.

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

My dad started his apprenticeship there back in '66 as a toolmaker.

And he was probably one of how many tooling apprentices that year? 50, 60? Then don't forget all the mechanical fitter apprentices, electrical, plumbing and so on that Ford put on that year. Could you even imagine how many people learnt a trade at Ford? When my old man left school, apprenticeships were a dime a dozen, hell, only people who were lousy at school did a trade, now the joke is on everyone else as you pay $80 for a 10 minute plumbing job. The fact is, my generation got screwed over. Last year Ford had 5000 applicants for three electrical apprenticeships. One of the eventual "winners" of an apprenticeship was a uni grad with a degree in electrical engineering.

Sorry for the vent, but all these jobs seem to be disappearing and no one cares less. Ask yourself, WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN GOING TO WORK IN TEN YEARS?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

And he was probably one of how many tooling apprentices that year? 50, 60? Then don't forget all the mechanical fitter apprentices, electrical, plumbing and so on that Ford put on that year. Could you even imagine how many people learnt a trade at Ford? When my old man left school, apprenticeships were a dime a dozen, hell, only people who were lousy at school did a trade, now the joke is on everyone else as you pay $80 for a 10 minute plumbing job. The fact is, my generation got screwed over. Last year Ford had 5000 applicants for three electrical apprenticeships. One of the eventual "winners" of an apprenticeship was a uni grad with a degree in electrical engineering.

Sorry for the vent, but all these jobs seem to be disappearing and no one cares less. Ask yourself, WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN GOING TO WORK IN TEN YEARS?

In 2010 Ford Broadmeadows was hiring apprentice mechanics, I put in an application but apparently there where so many others who also tried.

One of the guys at work was saying it was worth ditching where I am now if I got in because apparently they really look after their apprentices, in regards to conditions, leaning and pay. He used to manage at Holden in Port Melbourne and he said they really looked after people there, he mentioned that they tend to look after their staff with perks etc at Holden and thought Ford would be the same.

[mick457]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

And he was probably one of how many tooling apprentices that year? 50, 60? Then don't forget all the mechanical fitter apprentices, electrical, plumbing and so on that Ford put on that year. Could you even imagine how many people learnt a trade at Ford? When my old man left school, apprenticeships were a dime a dozen, hell, only people who were lousy at school did a trade, now the joke is on everyone else as you pay $80 for a 10 minute plumbing job. The fact is, my generation got screwed over. Last year Ford had 5000 applicants for three electrical apprenticeships. One of the eventual "winners" of an apprenticeship was a uni grad with a degree in electrical engineering.

Sorry for the vent, but all these jobs seem to be disappearing and no one cares less. Ask yourself, WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN GOING TO WORK IN TEN YEARS?

well to be honest
im not keen on the idear of having kids in this day and age |
but if i do have a kid/kids probley try my best to get then to learn how to use a knife and train them as a butcher myself alot of places are screaming for knife hands, a grade leggys, butchers ect
seem like a good time to switch trades if your not in the meat game

[mik]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

And he was probably one of how many tooling apprentices that year? 50, 60? Then don't forget all the mechanical fitter apprentices, electrical, plumbing and so on that Ford put on that year. Could you even imagine how many people learnt a trade at Ford? When my old man left school, apprenticeships were a dime a dozen, hell, only people who were lousy at school did a trade, now the joke is on everyone else as you pay $80 for a 10 minute plumbing job. The fact is, my generation got screwed over. Last year Ford had 5000 applicants for three electrical apprenticeships. One of the eventual "winners" of an apprenticeship was a uni grad with a degree in electrical engineering.

Sorry for the vent, but all these jobs seem to be disappearing and no one cares less. Ask yourself, WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN GOING TO WORK IN TEN YEARS?

very true Gobsey, and a lot of the old time tradesmen that really know their stuff that is not taught today don`t come back into the tradesmen s work force, so it`s a double edged sword, we are losing skills and qaulity teachers that will probably never come back, but as you say people just don`t understand or they are to ignorant to see a problem with it.
"she`ll be right , we can import everything".

[olds]

Ford workers already know their future they are just waiting for a date

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

And he was probably one of how many tooling apprentices that year? 50, 60? Then don't forget all the mechanical fitter apprentices, electrical, plumbing and so on that Ford put on that year. Could you even imagine how many people learnt a trade at Ford? When my old man left school, apprenticeships were a dime a dozen, hell, only people who were lousy at school did a trade, now the joke is on everyone else as you pay $80 for a 10 minute plumbing job. The fact is, my generation got screwed over. Last year Ford had 5000 applicants for three electrical apprenticeships. One of the eventual "winners" of an apprenticeship was a uni grad with a degree in electrical engineering.

Sorry for the vent, but all these jobs seem to be disappearing and no one cares less. Ask yourself, WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN GOING TO WORK IN TEN YEARS?

Very true, my dad was part of a very large group, I remember seeing the apprentice intake photo from when he started, and there must have easily been over 50 young blokes. All the local companies were screaming out for apprentices, and my dad had the choice between Ford, Shell and International Harvester.

When I applied for a fitter and turner apprenticeship about 10 years ago there were about 3 or 4 places, out of 400 or so applicants. Then Ford stopped putting on apprentices at all. Only within the last year or 2 have they put on a couple.

Its not good at all.

[Shonky.]

This is the reason why it is worthwhile for the government to prop up a car industry in such a small country. While at face value it seems like bad policy, the positive externalies cannot be measured. Without a car industry we will loose the next generation of talented skilled workers and eventually all we will be good at is digging holes

[Road_Warrior]

with so few guys in the tool shop, what were they actually doing?

[Pedro]

Face it people. When the "Button Plan" was introduced, the death-knell of Australian manufacturing was guaranteed.

[jpd80]

Holden won't be needing a tool section after 2016 either as their vehicles will be designed elsewhere,
a lot of the stamp tooling can be developed much cheaper at bigger centres and just sent here....

[olds]

They may need a few in Adelaidehttp://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/200m-to-secure-holdens-future-20120322-1vko9.html

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by olds

They may need a few in Adelaidehttp://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/200m-to-secure-holdens-future-20120322-1vko9.html

Nah, those stamps will probably be made elsewhere and brought in, as the post 2016 cars will be designed and developed elsewhere

[Bossxr8]

Wasn't most of the VE tooling made in Japan? I remember hearing that Holden scrapped a fair bit of aussie made dies to get better tolerance stuff from Japan.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Wasn't most of the VE tooling made in Japan? I remember hearing that Holden scrapped a fair bit of aussie made dies to get better tolerance stuff from Japan.

Yep, I remember GoAuto had an article about it.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Wasn't most of the VE tooling made in Japan? I remember hearing that Holden scrapped a fair bit of aussie made dies to get better tolerance stuff from Japan.

So does that mean the Aussie toolmakers at Holden were poor tradesmen?

[music189]

Originally Posted by shonkymofo

This is the reason why it is worthwhile for the government to prop up a car industry in such a small country. While at face value it seems like bad policy, the positive externalies cannot be measured. Without a car industry we will loose the next generation of talented skilled workers and eventually all we will be good at is digging holes

I hate to say it but the young guys I know couldnt even dig a good hole let alone know what sort of shovel to use