Ford Offers Buyout Options to Missouri Plant Workers

Workers at the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant in Hazelwood, MO, have received buyout offers from the automaker in anticipation of the plant's closing. According to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, about 1,300 union-represented workers have until March 8 to decide whether to accept one of the offers. Ford said last month it will idle the Hazelwood plant, which builds the Ford Explorer, and lay off its workers, with the intent of permanently closing it.
Depending on eligibility, workers were offered to choose one of five buyout packages that include lump-sum payouts, education assistance, and various income options. Ford hopes for a high number of takers in order to reduce its costs. With worker paychecks protected for the next two years, however, many can afford the option of waiting for possible transfer to another Ford facility.