Ford’s global heavy truck plant suspends production due to labor unrest

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Reuters / May 26, 2015

Ford Otosan in Turkey has suspended operations at the Inonu plant after a week-long labor dispute flared up again just days after the company resumed production at another plant.

The Inonu plant is the location of Ford Motor Company’s global market heavy truck production.

Ford Otosan said it had stopped production at the Inonu Plant as a precautionary measure after some of the workers who had been on strike did not leave the plant.

"Manufacturing operations at our Inonu Plant have been temporarily suspended until further notice," Ford Otosan said in a statement on Monday. Ford builds the Cargo heavy truck at the plant.

Production at the joint ventures of Renault and Fiat in Turkey has also been disrupted by the dispute over working conditions and pay that started late last week at factories in the northwest city of Bursa. The dispute has spread to a number of parts suppliers in the area, where Turkey's auto industry in centered.

Workers said the dispute was sparked after union Turk Metal last month negotiated a 60 percent wage hike for workers at a plant run by parts maker Bosch Fren, but failed to secure a similar deal elsewhere.