Ford to Implement Force Majeure ERTE in Almussafes

The management of Ford and UGT have agreed to submit a Temporary Employment Regulation File (ERTE) to the administration for the Almussafes (Valencia) factory. The management has committed to fully complement all salary concepts while this ERTE is in effect.

The effects of last Tuesday's DANA in Valencia forced a halt in production, which was already affected by reduced production due to lower demand for the models.

At any time, this force majeure ERTE may be deactivated before November 30, and when this happens, the factory will return to the ERTE that had already been agreed upon until December 31 of this year. It should be noted that in that file, workers receive 85% of their real salary.

UGT has stated that the "dramatic moment we are experiencing does not require arguments to demand Ford to complement 100% of all salary concepts while this ERTE is in effect." In the current ERTE, workers receive 85% of their real salary, along with 100% of bonuses, vacations, and seniority.

The union has indicated that, so far, it has been possible to contact practically 100% of the workforce after the DANA. "We are all still alive, with greater or lesser losses and difficulties," UGT has highlighted.

The union hopes to be able to communicate in the coming days when activity will resume at the factory. This same Tuesday, UGT had already announced that Ford has postponed the restart of its engine plant activity until Monday, November 11, instead of this Wednesday as planned, due to "force majeure circumstances that currently prevent production at the factory."

The passage of the DANA has posed a new setback for the Ford factory in Almussafes (Valencia), amid a negotiation process between management and unions to adjust the workforce volume to market demands.

Last July, Ford and UGT agreed on an ERTE for 996 workers until December, with 25 days of total stoppage. This ERTE adds to the ERE for 626 employees that was also agreed upon, due to the surplus of personnel at the factory until it is assigned the production of a new multi-energy vehicle in 2025.