By AP/KWMU
Hazelwood, MO – Friday will be the last day on the job for more than 800 hundreds of workers at Ford's plant in Hazelwood.
The automaker has long planned to cut back to one shift at the plant. But it originally planned to shut the plant down entirely. A state task force helped press Ford to keep at least part of the plant open.
Friday effectively will be the last production day for about two-thirds of the affected workers.
Patrick McKeehan, a spokesman for the task force, says about 900 workers ultimately will be affected. Ford put the number at closer to 800.
Michigan-based Ford announced the layoff plan in September, citing declining demand for the sport utility vehicles built at the Hazelwood site.
Friday is the start of the Hazelwood plant's seasonal shutdown that extends through the beginning of next year. About 300 or so affected workers will be laid off after January first.