Ford may dump workers at its Geelong (Aust) plant in a chance to rebound from a slump in sales of its larger engines produced at the plant. This has people from all sectors of Government and industry bodies jumping to try and stem the flow on effect this may have IF it happens. My view, lets see what happens first and not jump in too hastily.

Okay companies have dumped workers before (Geelong Cement threw out 150 workers, closed up and walked away) and despite claims of many ill effects, generally little happens due to a range of paramaters that kick in. Some take early retirement, some redploy readily (some happily), some will move out of the area to seek a new start,  some may even start a business, so they can be their own boss… and so on.

In the case of Geelong Cement many of these kicked in and the leftovers took a little while to find their place but generally the kicking and screaming was VERY minimal.

I guess there will be some that struggle if the company closes part of its facility but things are far diferent now that a few years back when Australia was in the throes of recession and much higher unemployment.

My point… Times change, people move on, (some struggle, some find it easy, some may even say its the best thing for them to be pushed into something new.)

In business things change, and life charges on. Goverments can throw a lifeline if they wish, but perhaps they should use caution and watch proceedings develop first rather than be part of the “sky is falling” mob.

Business changes are bought about through various changes in what the market wants… Typewriter sales went out the window with computers coming in… Things change and we have to addapt to that.

Sure jobs are important, but in a climate of low unemployment, skills shortages in a range of industries, perhaps Ford’s “dumping of staff” will assist other businesses to flourish and not cause nearly as much devastation as the protagonists would have us think.