Australian Car Industry Disaster Averted
August 22, 2006 by Alborz Fallah
There are reports this morning that Ford Australia along with PBR (brake manufacturer) have signed a deal to help out Ajax Fasteners, leading the way to keeping Ajax and its staff employed and also insuring Ford workers are not out of a job.
Seems like Holden was fast asleep while Ford negotiated through out the early hours of this morning, coming to an agreement at around 2:30am. Holden hoped that they can be included in the agreement and was willing to sign up this morning. No reports as of yet.
However, the interesting part of the whole announcement by ford seems to be that no one from Ajax was even at these negotiations? Ajax administrators, Price Waterhouse Coopers and the union representing the 189 Ajax workers who were stood down on friday both claimed they had not seen any deal. Australian Workers Union branch president (vic) Mick Eagles also confirmed that no one had told him anything!
Ford Australia however confirmed this morning that the agreement was in fact signed:
“A number of other (Ajax) customers have not signed but they will sign in the morning, now we have to work through the logistics and take it back to the Ajax employees but it’s a very positive development.” Ford spokeswoman Sinead McAlary said.
Mick Eagles however disagreed
“There is no deal until it is signed by all parties. I hope what Ford is saying eventuates, but it is not true at this point in time.”
Holden aso confirmed that they had infact left the negotiation table last night (late night?) while Ford and other customers had worked through the night and had come to an agreement
“Barring any last-minute hiccups we should be able to sign the agreement this morning,” Holden Spokesman Mr Laird said.
For Australia still has enough stock to keep working till tomorrow night and hopes the deal can be signed and settled well before then. Holden on the other hand had taken a page out of GMs book and already started sourcing parts from overseas under the GM umbrella.
“We want this situation with Ajax resolved and you can’t go on forever pulling parts from other parts of GM,” Mr Laird Said
More news as it becomes available.
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