格列喵

 Ford to cut 4,000 jobs in Europe　（福特公司在歐洲削減4000個工作）

 Credit: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/20/business/ford-layoffs-europe-intl/index.html

 Ford plans to cut almost 4,000 jobs in Europe over the next three years, about 14% of its workforce in the region, as the carmaker faces slowing demand for electric vehicles and rising competition from China.

• cut jobs 減少職位
• workforce (n.)勞動力

The US company said Wednesday that the cuts would be completed by the end of 2027, pending consultations with labor unions, and would be concentrated in Germany and the United Kingdom.

• pending (a.)即將發生的、待定、待決
• would be concentrated in Germany and UK 會集中在…

“The global auto industry continues to be in a period of disruption, especially in Europe, where the industry faces unprecedented competitive, regulatory and economic headwinds,” Ford said in a statement.

Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president for transformation and partnerships, added: “It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe.”

• continue to be 繼續在
• In a periods of disruptions 在顛覆的時期
  • disrupt(n.) (使用新科技或對傳統市場)顛覆

• unprecedented (a) 史無前例的

precedent (n.)   /ˈpres.ɪ.dənt/   /ˈpres.ə.dent/ 先例；慣例

• headwinds (n.) 頂風，逆風

Global automakers are under pressure from lackluster sales and intense competition from China, where EV makers are stealing market share from Western rivals, which have traditionally dominated the world’s largest passenger car market.

• global automakers 全球汽車製造商
• under pressure from
• 這邊可以解釋 「因為」
• lackluster sales 死氣沉沉銷售額

Ford’s passenger vehicle business has incurred significant losses in Europe in recent years. Like other carmakers, it has had to cut prices for its EVs, which have been badly loss-making, and it has scaled back EV production targets.

Last year, the company said it would axe around 4,900 jobs across Europe.

在近幾年歐洲地區，福特公司的貨車業務量引來了重大損失；同樣其他汽車製造商因重大虧損而對EV削價販售、縮減EV的製造目標規模。

• passenger vehicle = 貨車
• Axe 斧頭
• cut prices for…=為了….削減價額
• loss-making虧損

On Wednesday, Ford said it would further adjust production of its new Explorer and Capri models in Europe, resulting in shorter working days for staff, “due to the weak economic situation and lower-than-expected demand for electric cars.”

在週三福特公司說很可能更加調整new Explorer and Capri模型的製造，因為經濟狀況及低於預期需求的電動汽車，導致對員工工作日更短。

• the weak economic situation 低迷經濟情況
• lower-than-expected demand for electric cars. 低於其所預期電動汽車需求

Ford’s chief financial officer John Lawler recently wrote a letter to the German government calling for steps to improve market conditions for automakers.

福特公司總財務執行者John Lawler最近寫一封信給德國政府呼籲進一步解決市場對於電動汽車的情形。

“What we lack in Europe and Germany is an unmistakable, clear policy agenda to advance e-mobility, such as public investments in charging infrastructure, meaningful incentives to help consumers make the shift to electrified vehicles, improving cost competitiveness for manufacturers and greater flexibility in meeting CO2 compliance targets,” Lawler said.

我們在歐洲和德國所缺少是一個清楚明確無誤的促進電動車之政策日程，例如就基礎設施之投資、有意義的刺激消費者轉變電動汽車、增強製造商成本競爭力和更加彈性的二氧化碳會議遵守目標。

to ensure compliancy with the latest regulations 確保遵守最新的規定

cost competitiveness 成本競爭力

infrastructure 基礎建設

meaningful incentives to help consumers make the shift to electrified vehicles有意義的幫助消費者做出電子化車輛

The news of the Ford cuts comes just weeks after Volkswagen said it would trim employee pay by 10% to protect jobs and safeguard the company’s future. The German automaker plans to close at least three factories in its home country and lay off tens of thousands of staff as it grapples with a weak car market in Europe and a steep loss of market share in China.

福特裁員新聞就在Volkswagen 幾周前說可能會削減10% 員工薪水以保護員工及保全公司的未來。當在歐洲汽車市場低迷和在中國股票下滑式虧損扭轉在一起時，德國汽車製造商計畫關閉至少三間在主要國家的工廠，並遣散數十萬的員工。

Earlier Wednesday, Volkswagen workers said they would be prepared to forfeit pay increases totaling €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) if executives at the company pledge not to close any factories and agree to sacrifice a portion of their bonuses.

在較早的周三，Volkswagen 員工說，他們準備放棄薪水高達總計1.5或1.6百萬加薪，如果執行長保證不關閉任何工廠和同意去犧牲一部分獎金。

•  pledge =保證；承諾

  pledge +to Vr. =保證...

  make pledges to the charity=向慈善團體承諾