Future of plant looms over start of Ford union talks - USA TODAY
The event at Cass Technical High School here occurred just 14 days after Ford said it would end Ford Focus and Ford C-Max production in 2018 at its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne — a move that underscores how hard it is to make small cars in the... "Mexico continues to be an issue for us, … not just as a union but" also as a country, UAW President Dennis Williams said. Ford and General Motors are among a number of automakers that recently have announced plans to invest billions in new automotive plants in Mexico. The decision to move Focus production also raises questions about which products could replace the Focus, a car that symbolized Ford's transformation in 2011 from a company dependent on truck sales to one aimed at building better passenger cars... Ford Executive Vice President John Fleming promised that Ford will not close the plant but did not say what car or truck could replace the Focus and C-Max. "But right now, we are looking at what products are the right products. Williams, UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles and Ford CEO Mark Fields all said Wednesday's event was at Cass Tech to remind everyone of the role that the jobs the company creates play a role in supporting the community. Source: www.usatoday.com
