Ford salaried workers cut

Nearly two dozen salaried workers were involuntarily separated from Ford Motor Co. in April, a company spokeswoman confirmed.

Ford said the permanent layoffs came before Ford CEO Alan Mulally told shareholders and journalists that layoffs likely would not be necessary for the struggling automaker to meet its turnaround objectives.

The Dearborn-based automaker lost a record $12.6 billion last year and $282 million in the first quarter of this year. As part of its plan to restore profits to its North American division by 2009, Ford is eliminating 44,000 jobs.

Most workers are leaving voluntarily under buyout programs.

But almost two dozen workers were let go on an involuntary basis in two unidentified departments that did not hit their reduction targets, Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said. The layoffs took place at locations throughout North America, primarily outside of Dearborn.