Meeting with Ford Motor official was a failure: Union

Chennai, Sep 21 The meeting with Ford Motor Company's senior official for a relook at the corporate decision to shut down vehicle production in India ended in a failure, said a Union official at Ford India Private Ltd.

The workers union had asked for a meeting with the top officials of Ford Motor Company involved in the decision of closing down three of the four plants in India.

"We had a meeting with an official who is part of Ford Motor Company's IMG (International Markets Group) on Monday. We were told the decision to close down the Indian plants is final and there will be no change in that," a Union leader told IANS.

According to him, the workers are for protection of their jobs and not for any lump sum compensation.

On September 9, Ford India announced that it will wind down vehicle assembly in Sanand in Gujarat by the fourth quarter of 2021, and vehicle and engine manufacturing in Chennai by the second quarter of 2022.

Ford India has four plants in the country -- vehicle and engine plants in Chennai and Sanand.

Ford's 'quit India' decision will result in an uncertain future for about 5,300 employees - workers and staff, the officials said.Ford India's Chennai plant has about 2,700 associates (permanent workers) and about 600 staff.

"In Sanand, the number of workers will be about 2,000," Sanand workers' union General Secretary Nayan Kateshiya had told IANS

Ford India had said more than 500 employees at the Sanand engine plant, which produces engines for export, and about 100 employees supporting parts distribution and customer service, also will continue to support Ford's business in India.

According to Ford India, about 4,000 employees are expected to be affected by its decision.

The workers at Ford India want the prospective buyer of the car plants to hire them.