Some people have been called back. MPL drivers, incoming quality and some leaders have been called back. So as for myself if all goes well maybe April may? Ford still hasn’t given us full details as to manning levels or a concrete return to work date. We were told that calls will be made 2-4 weeks before anyone is called in departmentally or by job classification. Job 1 is slated for August.
It’s not weird, it was a condition of deal for the MEB Toolkit from VW that Ford use VW supplied parts in the construction and fit out- probably caused too much disruption to change to non-VW switches.
Ford Europe has been through this before when it sourced a minivan from VW back in the 2000s.
Also same sort of thing going on with VW Caddy sourced Transit Connect.
Reports back in September were saying that as of January, Cologne is down to one shift
https://www.carscoops.com/2025/09/fords-vw-based-evs-bomb-in-europe-forcing-production-cuts/
For some idiotic reason (i.e. it saves probably 3 cents per car), VW decided that there will be 2 switches, not 4, and you have to push that "rear" button" to work the rear windows with the same switches. (picture below is a RHD model). And perhaps more stupidly, Ford stuck with it in their redesign to become Explorer/Capri....