At 16:00, groups of people are exiting the gates of the factory, hurrying towards the 21 buses provided free of charge by the factory’s administration. They would like to talk, but prefer to remain anonymous, so their names are the Inventory Manager, the Head Mechanic, and the Worker.
The Head Mechanic knows the history of the factory well, he was here while investors came and left, but wants to talk only about “the present”. “The beginning with Ford was good, what will happen remains to be seen,” he said. Tomorrow’s launch will bring each employee a RON 500 (some €118) bonus, besides the RON 900 (some €212) holiday bonuses, days off for Christmas and Easter, and 5-8 percent salary increases granted by Ford in spite of the financial crisis.
After the car producer gained the trust of the Romanian government and the local authorities by announcing an investment of nearly €700 million in the Craiova-based car factory, they have one obstacle left to overcome: gaining the trust of their own employees, considering their reluctance to switch from a Korean management team to an American one.
“When Daewoo was here, we had more freedom. For me, it was better. Now, rules are stricter, everything is more organized. We are sitting in intensive classes and preparing for production,” the Inventory Manager said. The change in the management style was felt by several employees. “It is a major, sudden change. We now have to study. It was a good beginning, but we do not know what will happen next. We hope for higher salaries,” another employee said. “We do more teamwork now. We are better organized and have a foreigner who coordinates us on each department,” the Head Mechanic said.
The Worker complains only about the work pace imposed by Ford, comparing it with the former majority shareholder. “I wished the work pace had been faster. Daewoo began production in three months. Things seem better with Ford, but no major changes are visible yet,” he said. Most of those who talked with Business Standard emphasized the training they must undergo. “I took 25 classes so far, of four and eight hours, and I understand that other classes will follow,” an employee indicated. The Head Mechanic also took 12 classes to date. “These are general classes, to become accustomed to the new work system. We had trainings with Daewoo too, but these were specialized. Now, the focus is on the team,” the Head Mechanic added. There are about 4,000 people currently working at Ford, and some 2,000-3,000 employees are expected to join them in the coming few years.
“Only the first shift is working now. From what I understand, they want to continue hiring in the coming few years: 2,000-3,000 people for the second and third shifts,” the Inventory Manager said. In preparation for the event, teams of four-five workers were repairing road sections Friday, finalizing the last details. President Traian Băsescu is expected to attend tomorrow’s launch.
History
- 1976 - The communist authorities in Bucharest, in partnership with the French Citroen car maker, form the Oltcit joint venture.
- 1994 - The Daewoo era begins. The Romanisn state signs a partnership with Daewoo Heavy Industry and Rodae Automobile enters the market.
- 2007 - The Romanian government sells the majority package of the Craiova car factory to Ford, after it had regain full control.
