MOTOR giant Ford has confirmed that its Southampton's plant will be shutting down for a month over Christmas forcing workers to survive on basic pay.
Worried staff say the loss of allowances could cost them as much as £300.
The staggered shutdown will see the plant completely locked down from December 5 to January 5.
The first stage of production will be closed down on December 3, with body shop and paint shop shutting on December 4 and the trim department finishing on December 5.
On reopening, the first stage production will start on January 6, body shop and paint shop will return on January 7 and trim will be back on December 8.
A Ford spokesman told the Daily Echo the company expected to return to a five-day-week from January 12.
However, workers believe there will be more "down days" with the possibility of a three-day-week in the future.
A Ford spokesman said: "This decision was made at a meeting yesterday as a direct result of a drop in demand for the Transit. All the time we spend having Transit sitting around unsold it is costing us money."
Liberal democrat MP for Romsey Sandra Gidley said: "This is sad news for the city's Ford workers, many of whom will feel short-changed - especially with Christmas fast approaching.
"I only hope that short-term painful actions action like these will allow Ford to weather these harsh global economic times.
"Of course, I and my parliamentary colleagues will continue to do all we can to help Ford and their workers, so that the company can commit to a long-term future in Southampton."
The announcement by Ford comes a week after the Daily Echo exclusively reported workers' fears that this shutdown was on the cards.
