PRODUCTION cuts could spell disaster for Ford workers, claim union bosses.

Their fears came after the motor giant yesterday confirmed it will be cutting production at its Swaythling plant to a single shift and putting the plant on a shutdown for more than two weeks.

The single shift – which will run from 7am to 3pm – is planned for two months but union bosses and workers fear the company may make it permanent.

It is due to run from February 2 to April 3 and the plant will be manned on a rota system with half the workers being in and half on down days.

The 12-day lockdown of the factory will run from February 6 to February 23.

Unite regional officer Ian Woodland said: “I am quite shocked and to myself and many workers it has confirmed all the rumours that have been flying about.

“It is a very worrying development and I don’t feel very confident that the company will go back to their usual shift arrangement in April and I don’t see that they will continue having people sat around on down days indefinitely.”

Single shift The Daily Echo understands Ford’s Turkish Transit plant has also moved to a single shift and made 1,000 workers redundant.

This decision comes after plummeting sales have caused the company to slash production several times throughout 2008.

In 2007 the plant produced 75,664 vehicles while in 2008 its output was at just 66,215.

Click on the links below to read the bulletin issued by Ford

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