Ford wants to shed 75,000 jobs

Ford Motor Company plans to expand buyout and early retirement offers to the company’s entire US hourly work force of 75,000 as part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at restoring the troubled No.2 American vehicle manufacturer to profitability.

Before Ford was to detail the huge restructuring plan, the move was announced yesterday afternoon by the United Auto Workers union. Ford has not said how many workers it hopes will take the offers, but it has previously announced plans to cut up to 30,000 hourly jobs by 2012.