In effort to fight back against Trump and media criticism over Ford’s decision to move their small car manufacturing to Mexico, Ford issued a press release–reminding people that they’ve been in America for more than 100 years and still employ a great number of people here.
“Ford has been in the United States for more than 100 years. Our home is here. We will be here forever,” said spokeswoman Christine Baker.The company has 85,000 U.S. employees, up 28,000, or nearly 50%, in just the last five years. It has 8,800 employees at Mexican plants, and will add 2,800 jobs there when the new $1.6 billion plant opens there in 2018.
The numbers Ford is citing is a little disingenuous, considering the auto industry was in fucking shambles five years ago. While it’s true, Ford employs a great number of Americans and aren’t firing a bunch of people and replacing them with low waged Mexicans, it’s the trend that’s important to keep note of. Through attrition and lack of investment, Ford will be shifting jobs to Mexico at a much greater pace than inside the US, thanks to NAFTA.
The new factory in Mexico will add 500k units of capacity, more than double the current production.
Although the chart above is 4 years old, clearly you can see the statement out of Ford Motor are wantonly misleading with regard to the overall health of the auto industry in the United States. If we’re slave to trends, I think it’s fair to say Mexico is heading up and America lower.
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There is some shrewdness occurring here on Ford’s part. They wanted this controversy and were ready to respond.
You’re welcome for the bailout $$ from us taxpayers in the USA.
I thought Ford didn’t take the bail out money.
Yeah Ford was never bailed out. Nice try though
I think that people have seen, which wasn’t initially obvious, is that free trade works best with economies that are nearly equal development-wise like the us and Canada. In the cases of the EU and NAFTA, people are going from the poor EU countries and creating the same wage and low skill unemployment that is happening in the US with NAFTA and illegal immigration. This is he driving force behind Trump and Farage, the fact that people are starting to see the developed economies start to converge more rapidly with the developing thanks to free trade and tech. If the US leaders can’t find a way to reverse the downward trajectory of the US economy then there will be a Trump type candidate every four years getting more and more of the vote.
Correct. Don’t trade with poor countries and expect it won’t affect your own wages and trade balance.
Don’t worry. Trump has a plan for that…
Does anyone know what his plans actually are?
In my estimation, his lack of plans will all come to fruition, and we will be in a much more dire situation should he become president. Take everything he says and add the word “not” to it, and you will see what will happen.
Now I’m no Hillary supporter either. Maybe John Hinkley can take care of her?
Seth
That’s DNC talking points. Trump has been very specific about his economic plan. People who keep saying that are either lying or not paying attention.