Some 494 employees with the Ford plant in Craiova have signed up for the voluntary leave program launched by Ford in November last year, reports local Economica.net. The company announced then it would lay off 680 of its 3,200 employees, due to the falling demand on the European car market.

Some of those who have signed up already ended their work contract at the end of December 2014, while others will leave at the end of January and February, said Ovidiu Cioroianu, leader of the Ford union.

Employees' representatives are trying to determine the employer to limit the layoffs to nearly 500, the number of those who have already joined the voluntary leave program.

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