Sacked Ford Workers Occupy Brazilian Plant

Nearly 3,000 former Ford Motor Co. workers, who lost their jobs just before Christmas, occupied an assembly plant near Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a bid to force the company to take at least some of them back. There were no reports of violence as the company, the No. 2 U.S. auto maker, made no attempt to stop the sacked workers from entering the plant. But the plant was shut down early on its first official working day of 1999. Union leaders were hoping the action would prompt Ford to negotiate the issue, but the company announced no plans to do so. Ford has been grappling with a prolonged slump in demand for cars in Brazil as South America’s largest economy tips into recession. Ford shares gained $1.75 to close at $59.50 on the New York Stock Exchange.