The painful days of the complete shutdown of Ford, Australia, have finally come.
However, the factory`s car assembler will not return empty-handed.
They have determined that they will receive relatively generous redundancy compensation, retraining and job placement.
Dave Smith, secretary-general of the (Australian Manufacturing Workers Union) National Automotive Division, the Australian manufacturing workers` union, said most workers who lost their jobs on Friday could receive compensation equivalent to about five weeks of each working year.
Workers who fight to the last minute on the production line receive an extra A $3700 in one-time bonuses.
The average worker`s length of service is about 20 years, says Mr Smith. This means that most people can leave with a salary equivalent to about two years (and a preferential tax rate).
The company also prepared four brand-new Ford Falcon cars for workers at the Broadmeadows plant as a raffle gift for employees.
Similarly, the Geelong`s four new cars have become popular after the raffle.
And unlike other industries that have long faced structural challenges, up to and below the federal government to the state of Victoria have provided funding to soon-to-be unemployed Ford workers, including retraining and re-employment.
Ford employees have proven that their hard work is valuable to any future employer, Mr. Smith said.
"they are very stable workers. Most of them have been here for many years. "
He said: "they are a group of good people in a bad situation."
Victoria Governor Daniel Andrews said that in addition to producing a large number of cars, Ford in Australia has produced "a large number of skilled and diverse" Victorian workers.
Governor Andrews told Times that the government has provided more than A $130 million worth of funds, aid and training programs to affected workers, businesses and communities.
"We will also set up special funds for Geelong and Melbourne North, which have been hardest hit by the Ford shutdown, to focus on job creation."
