Dec. 7, 2005. 09:46 AM
CANADIAN PRESS

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. executives have drafted a plan to close at least 10 North American factories and eliminate 25,000 to 30,000 blue-collar jobs within five years, the Detroit News reported Wednesday.

The paper said the plan, set to be presented to the company's board of directors, envisages cuts deeper than many observers had expected.

Chairman and CEO Bill Ford has said changes expected to be announced Jan. 23 will affect all levels of the company.

The Detroit News cited sources as saying up to seven senior executives will leave the automaker in the coming weeks.

It said that in board meetings Wednesday and Thursday, Mark Fields, new president of Ford's Americas division and architect of the so-called "Way Forward" plan, will present a detailed restructuring proposal, along with a blueprint for revitalizing the Ford, Mercury and Lincoln brands by attracting younger buyers.

Ford did not comment publicly on its plans.

"Our work continues," spokesman Oscar Suris told the newspaper.

"These plans will be final when they're ready to be shared publicly."

The plan reported Wednesday appears significantly wider than the cost-cutting initiative Bill Ford, great-grandson of the company's founder, initiated after becoming CEO four years ago. That plan called for 20,000 job cuts in North America.

Ford had 87,000 North American workers represented by the United Auto Workers at the end of 2004, plus 11,600 Canadian Auto Workers members in Canada.

The cutbacks said to be in the works would parallel last month's move by General Motors to eliminate 30,000 jobs and shut nine plants.

Ford has already said it will ditch 4,000 white-collar jobs in early 2006, in addition to 2,750 salaried workers cut this year.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Ford was set to announce five near-term factory closures affecting 7,500 people