Ford cuts 500 Canadian assembly jobs

OAKVILLE, Ontario, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it would cut about 500 jobs at a Canadian plant that makes crossover sport utility vehicles, blaming a weak U.S. economy.

The world's No. 4 automaker, which has cut North American output by 30 percent in the year's second half, said the job cuts at the Oakville, Ontario, plant would begin Oct. 1.

Third-shift workers at the factory's paint and body shops will receive incentive offers to leave their jobs, said Ford, whose Canadian headquarters is also in Oakville.

Canadian Auto Workers President Ken Lewenza said the incentives would likely reduce the number of layoffs.

Workers who were hired and quit other jobs earlier this year have filed a court claim against Ford for the job cuts, seeking class-action status, The Toronto Star reported.

The Oakville plant makes the Ford Edge midsize crossover SUV, its luxury sister Lincoln MKX and the Ford Flex full-size "people-mover" crossover built by Ford to replace the discontinued Freestar and twin Mercury Monterey minivans.