More of the united auto workers (UAW) workers will begin a strike at the sites of General Motors, Ford Motor, and Stellantis NV on Friday at noon if significant progress is not made toward new labour contracts.

UAW issues strike ultimatum to big three automakers | World Business Watch

Ford&nbsp;Motor&nbsp;Co said it will cut a total of 3,000 salaried and contract jobs, mostly in North America and India, as it restructures to catch up with Tesla Inc in the race to develop software-driven electric vehicles.

Ford&nbsp;Chief Executive Jim Farley has been saying for months that he believed the Dearborn, Mich. automaker had too many people, and that not enough of its workforce had the skills required as the auto industry shifts to electric vehicles and digital services.

"We are eliminating work, as well as reorganizing and simplifying functions throughout the business. You will hear more specifics from the leaders of your area of the business later this week," Farley and&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;Chairman Bill&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;wrote in a joint email.

Ford&nbsp;shares were down 4.8% in midday trading amid broader declines on Wall Street.

Like other established automakers,&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;has a workforce largely hired to support a traditional combustion technology product lineup. Going forward, Farley has mapped out a strategy for&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;to develop a broad lineup of electric vehicles. Like Tesla,&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;wants to generate more revenue through services that depend on digital software and connectivity.

Tesla's pre-tax profit margins have exceeded&nbsp;Ford's this year, and Farley has been blunt about the need to cut costs.

In Monday's email to staff, Farley and&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;said the company's cost structure "is uncompetitive versus traditional and new competitors."

Rising prices for batteries, raw materials and shipping are putting additional pressure on&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;and other automakers. Still,&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;has stuck to its full-year profit forecast, despite $3 billion in higher costs due to inflation.

Ford&nbsp;has begun separating its operations into electric, the combustion engine and commercial vehicle operations. Farley said in July "cost reduction will happen" in the combustion operations. But&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;said on Monday the staff cuts will affect all parts of the company.

Rival General&nbsp;Motors Co in late 2018 moved to cut 14,000 jobs as it prepared to accelerate its electric vehicle strategy.

Ford, GM and Stellantis' North American operations will confront a new workforce challenge next year as they begin contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers union, which represents the Detroit automakers' U.S. factory employees.

UAW leaders have expressed concern that electric vehicles will mean fewer manufacturing jobs, and more jobs dispersed to non-union battery and EV hardware factories.

Ford Motor Co said it will cut a total of 3,000 salaried and contract jobs, mostly in North America and India, as it restructures to catch up with Tesla Inc in the race to develop software-driven electric vehicles.

Ford Motor Co said it will cut a total of 3,000 salaried and contract jobs, mostly in North America and India, as it restructures to catch up with Tesla Inc in the race to develop software-driven electric vehicles. Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley has been saying for months that he believed the Dearborn, Mich. automaker had too many people, and that not enough of its workforce had the skills required as the auto industry shifts to electric vehicles and digital services. "We are eliminating work, as well as reorganizing and simplifying functions throughout the business. You will hear more specifics from the leaders of your area of the business later this week," Farley and Ford Chairman Bill Ford wrote in a joint email. Ford shares were down 4.8% in midday trading amid broader declines on Wall Street. Like other established automakers, Ford has a workforce largely hired to support a traditional combustion technology product lineup. Going forward, Farley has mapped out a strategy for Ford to develop a broad lineup of electric vehicles. Like Tesla, Ford wants to generate more revenue through services that depend on digital software and connectivity. Tesla's pre-tax profit margins have exceeded Ford's this year, and Farley has been blunt about the need to cut costs. In Monday's email to staff, Farley and Ford said the company's cost structure "is uncompetitive versus traditional and new competitors." Rising prices for batteries, raw materials and shipping are putting additional pressure on Ford and other automakers. Still, Ford has stuck to its full-year profit forecast, despite $3 billion in higher costs due to inflation. Ford has begun separating its operations into electric, the combustion engine and commercial vehicle operations. Farley said in July "cost reduction will happen" in the combustion operations. But Ford said on Monday the staff cuts will affect all parts of the company. Rival General Motors Co in late 2018 moved to cut 14,000 jobs as it prepared to accelerate its electric vehicle strategy. Ford, GM and Stellantis' North American operations will confront a new workforce challenge next year as they begin contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers union, which represents the Detroit automakers' U.S. factory employees. UAW leaders have expressed concern that electric vehicles will mean fewer manufacturing jobs, and more jobs dispersed to non-union battery and EV hardware factories.

Ford cuts 3,000 jobs as it pivots to EVs, competes with Elon Musk's Tesla

General Motors and Ford Motor both said that they will cut more vehicle production due to a semiconductor chip shortage that has roiled the global automotive industry.

World Business Watch: GM, Ford cutting more production due to chip shortage

Ford Motor Co on Tuesday scrapped a planned Mexican car factory and added 700 jobs in Michigan following criticism by Donald Trump, as the US&nbsp;president-elect turned his attention towards rival General Motors Co with the threat of a &quot;big border tax&quot; over compact cars made in Mexico.

Ford CEO Mark Fields called the move &quot;a vote of confidence&quot; in Trump, but primarily a response to a decline in the North American demand for small cars like those that would have been made at the Mexican plant. He said the company would have made the same decision even if Trump had not been elected.

Ford will cancel plans unveiled in April to spend $1.6 billion to build the new plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, a project that Trump urged the company to abandon and described as an &quot;absolute disgrace&quot; during the election campaign.&nbsp;

The number&nbsp;two&nbsp;US&nbsp;automaker also said it would invest $700 million in the Flat Rock, Michigan factory plant and would make new electric, hybrid and autonomous vehicles there.

Trump&#39;s efforts to browbeat the US&nbsp;car industry show that he may go further than other modern presidents to try to influence corporate decisions, especially those related to trade and investment.&nbsp;

Investors on Tuesday sold off shares of Kansas City Southern railroad, a company that is heavily dependent on shipping goods across the US-Mexico border.&nbsp;

In a Twitter post hours before Ford&#39;s announcement, Trump wrote, &quot;General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to US&nbsp;car dealers-tax free across border. Make in USA&nbsp;or pay big border tax!&quot; GM, the largest US&nbsp;automaker, said making some of the Cruze cars in the plant in Coahuila, Mexico was part of its strategy to serve global customers, not sell those vehicles in the United States.

Trump&#39;s GM tweet was his latest broadside aimed at an American company over jobs, imports and costs even before he takes office on January&nbsp;20.

Such remarks have signalled an uncommon degree of intervention for an incoming US&nbsp;president into the affairs of US&nbsp;corporations.

Mexico&#39;s government said it regrets Ford&#39;s decision and has made sure that the company will reimburse the state for any costs associated with the investment.&nbsp;

Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake said the automaker will save $500 million by not opening the new plant in the near term, but will have some undisclosed costs to retool the other Mexican plant to build the Focus. GM shares were up 0.5 per cent, or $0.17, to $35.00. Ford shares rose 3.3 per cent, or $0.40 a share, to $12.53.

&nbsp;

Trump Notified

Top Ford executives personally notified Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence of their decision. Fields praised tax and regulatory proposals advocated by Trump and his fellow Republicans who control Congress.

&quot;Our view is that we see a more positive US&nbsp;manufacturing business environment under President-elect Trump and the pro-growth policies and proposals that he&#39;s talking about, so this is a vote of confidence for President-elect Trump and some of the policies that they may be pursuing,&quot; Fields said.

Trump said during the presidential campaign that if elected he would not allow Ford to open the new plant in Mexico and would slap hefty tariffs taxes on imported Ford vehicles.

Trump during the campaign also accused Mexico of sending criminals and rapists into the United States and vowed to build a border wall to combat illegal immigration.

Since winning the November&nbsp;8 election, Trump has targeted a wide range of American companies also including United Technologies Inc, Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp. Trump also has touted decisions by companies to keep some production in the United States, including United`s Carrier unit in Indiana.

Trump previously vowed to hit companies that shift production from America to other countries with a 35 per cent tax on their exports into the United States. He also has denounced the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Fields said there were no negotiations between Ford and the incoming president over the decision to cancel the Mexico plant or invest in Michigan.

Ford will build a battery electric SUV with a 300-mile (482-kilometre) driving range at the Michigan plant by 2020, and will launch production there by 2021 of a fully autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel or a brake pedal for use in ride services fleets. Ford also plans new hybrid versions of its F-150 pickup truck, Mustang and police vehicles by 2020.

GM said it sold about 190,000 Cruze cars in the United States in 2016. All of the sedan versions sold in the United States, or about 185,500, were built at its plant in Lordstown, Ohio. About 4,500 hatchback versions of the Cruze were assembled in Mexico and sold in the United States.

Union workers gathered at the Flat Rock factory cheered Fields as he announced the new jobs. Hiring of the 700 new workers there will probably start in 2018 and the majority of it in 2020, Fields said.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Trump's tweets signal an uncommon degree of intervention for an incoming US?president into the affairs of US?corporations

Ford Motor Co on Tuesday scrapped a planned Mexican car factory and added 700 jobs in Michigan following criticism by Donald Trump, as the US president-elect turned his attention towards rival General Motors Co with the threat of a "big border tax" over compact cars made in Mexico. Ford CEO Mark Fields called the move "a vote of confidence" in Trump, but primarily a response to a decline in the North American demand for small cars like those that would have been made at the Mexican plant. He said the company would have made the same decision even if Trump had not been elected. Ford will cancel plans unveiled in April to spend $1.6 billion to build the new plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, a project that Trump urged the company to abandon and described as an "absolute disgrace" during the election campaign. The number two US automaker also said it would invest $700 million in the Flat Rock, Michigan factory plant and would make new electric, hybrid and autonomous vehicles there. Trump's efforts to browbeat the US car industry show that he may go further than other modern presidents to try to influence corporate decisions, especially those related to trade and investment. Investors on Tuesday sold off shares of Kansas City Southern railroad, a company that is heavily dependent on shipping goods across the US-Mexico border. In a Twitter post hours before Ford's announcement, Trump wrote, "General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to US car dealers-tax free across border. Make in USA or pay big border tax!" GM, the largest US automaker, said making some of the Cruze cars in the plant in Coahuila, Mexico was part of its strategy to serve global customers, not sell those vehicles in the United States. Trump's GM tweet was his latest broadside aimed at an American company over jobs, imports and costs even before he takes office on January 20. Such remarks have signalled an uncommon degree of intervention for an incoming US president into the affairs of US corporations. Mexico's government said it regrets Ford's decision and has made sure that the company will reimburse the state for any costs associated with the investment. Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake said the automaker will save $500 million by not opening the new plant in the near term, but will have some undisclosed costs to retool the other Mexican plant to build the Focus. GM shares were up 0.5 per cent, or $0.17, to $35.00. Ford shares rose 3.3 per cent, or $0.40 a share, to $12.53. Trump Notified Top Ford executives personally notified Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence of their decision. Fields praised tax and regulatory proposals advocated by Trump and his fellow Republicans who control Congress. "Our view is that we see a more positive US manufacturing business environment under President-elect Trump and the pro-growth policies and proposals that he's talking about, so this is a vote of confidence for President-elect Trump and some of the policies that they may be pursuing," Fields said. Trump said during the presidential campaign that if elected he would not allow Ford to open the new plant in Mexico and would slap hefty tariffs taxes on imported Ford vehicles. Trump during the campaign also accused Mexico of sending criminals and rapists into the United States and vowed to build a border wall to combat illegal immigration. Since winning the November 8 election, Trump has targeted a wide range of American companies also including United Technologies Inc, Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp. Trump also has touted decisions by companies to keep some production in the United States, including United`s Carrier unit in Indiana. Trump previously vowed to hit companies that shift production from America to other countries with a 35 per cent tax on their exports into the United States. He also has denounced the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Fields said there were no negotiations between Ford and the incoming president over the decision to cancel the Mexico plant or invest in Michigan. Ford will build a battery electric SUV with a 300-mile (482-kilometre) driving range at the Michigan plant by 2020, and will launch production there by 2021 of a fully autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel or a brake pedal for use in ride services fleets. Ford also plans new hybrid versions of its F-150 pickup truck, Mustang and police vehicles by 2020. GM said it sold about 190,000 Cruze cars in the United States in 2016. All of the sedan versions sold in the United States, or about 185,500, were built at its plant in Lordstown, Ohio. About 4,500 hatchback versions of the Cruze were assembled in Mexico and sold in the United States. Union workers gathered at the Flat Rock factory cheered Fields as he announced the new jobs. Hiring of the 700 new workers there will probably start in 2018 and the majority of it in 2020, Fields said. (Reuters)

After Trump's twitter threat, Ford scraps Mexico plant

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UAW issues strike ultimatum to big three automakers | World Business Watch

Ford cuts 3,000 jobs as it pivots to EVs, competes with Elon Musk's Tesla

World Business Watch: GM, Ford cutting more production due to chip shortage

After Trump's twitter threat, Ford scraps Mexico plant