Tweet
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...t-ford-plant/1
By Jere Downs, USA TODAY and The (Louisville) Courier-Journal
By Jere Downs, USA TODAY and The (Louisville) Courier-Journal
Memo to the nearly 17,000 people who applied last month for $15-per-hour Ford factory jobs: If you haven't heard by now, Ford won't be calling.
About 600 of the expected 2,700 jobs at Ford's Louisville (Ky.) Assembly Plant are left for new hires after the rest were claimed by workers on layoff, or UAW union members transferring from other Ford plants.
With 30 times as many applicants as available jobs, "You have to be really lucky to get one of those spots," said Rick Elliott, who had hoped to leave his $9-per-hour security guard job for the $15.51 hourly starting pay at Ford.
Of the 17,000 applicants about 3,000 were chosen by lottery for the math, reading and coordination testing to qualify as finalists. But the last wave was tested last week and Elliott was not among the lottery picks.
Without overtime, the new Ford jobs would pay more than $30,000 per year. That's far from the more than $55,000 per year -- or $28 an hour -- Ford pays current UAW workers, but the health care and other benefits are better than the new hires are likely to find elsewhere.
About 600 of the expected 2,700 jobs at Ford's Louisville (Ky.) Assembly Plant are left for new hires after the rest were claimed by workers on layoff, or UAW union members transferring from other Ford plants.
With 30 times as many applicants as available jobs, "You have to be really lucky to get one of those spots," said Rick Elliott, who had hoped to leave his $9-per-hour security guard job for the $15.51 hourly starting pay at Ford.
Of the 17,000 applicants about 3,000 were chosen by lottery for the math, reading and coordination testing to qualify as finalists. But the last wave was tested last week and Elliott was not among the lottery picks.
Without overtime, the new Ford jobs would pay more than $30,000 per year. That's far from the more than $55,000 per year -- or $28 an hour -- Ford pays current UAW workers, but the health care and other benefits are better than the new hires are likely to find elsewhere.