WORKERS at Southampton’s giant Ford company are going onto a four-day week from tomorrow, the Daily Echo can reveal.

It is understood that output is being cut from 375 to just 308 a day as part of the company’s plan to slash production.

Staff at Swaythling will be on “down days”Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week and then every Monday until the end of the year.

It has sparked rumours inside the factory that the company may be switching to the three-day week at the beginning of 2009 or even a much smaller single shift workforce.

A Ford UK spokesman said: “This decision on down days was made because of poor market conditions. We had to take 17 days out of the production schedule.

“Workers can be called in on these days if there are any light jobs ormaintenance work but in most cases they will be at home. Employees will of course be paid for down days.”

He went on to say that the company had no plans to cut back to a three-day week in 2009 but he could not rule it out and the final decision would be made based on market conditions.

He did, however, deny that Ford had plans to lay off 150 full-time staff or offer redundancy packages by the end of the year.

Asked if the company planned to reduce numbers by not replacing workers who retired or left he said: “Those kind of decisions are made as part of our normal business and we don’t have anything to say about that.

“However, it is worth pointing out that Ford hasn’t made a single forced redundancy in the UK in 40 years.”

The four-day week comes after 124-short term workers were told their contracts would not be renewed. They are due to finish work on Friday.

A worker inside the factory told the Daily Echo: “Morale is at an alltime low. Everyone feels sorry for the short-term workers and the younger ones with families.

Nobody knows what is going to happen next.”

Ford plans to slash production from 75,000 to 35,000 a year, cut jobs and export manufacture of the iconic Transit van to Turkey.

If the proposals are rubber-stamped by Ford’s US bosses, Southampton will only produce chassis cab models.

Workers and union leaders claim a reduction on that scale would lead to the eventual closure of the plant.

Campaigner Nick Chaffey, of National Shop Stewards Network, said: “We have to fight these plans now. If the plant is going to be saved retooling needs to start soon. It is vital we move this campaign forward.”

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