The Daily Mail reports that the Ford car company has been forced to withdraw a controversial staff assessment process which allegedly threatened to dismiss or freeze the pay of managers receiving the lowest 'grades'.

The paper says that 18,000 Ford management employees around the world had taken part in the new assessment scheme, which allocated gradings to 'top achievers', 'achievers' and 'improvement required'. The Daily Mail goes on to add that training, help and possible relocation would have been offered to those falling into the last category (the bottom 5 per cent of performers), with dismissal only being considered as a last resort.

A spokesperson from the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union told the paper the plan was "a cynical way of saving money as people seem always to be working below average." It appears that Ford continues to struggle with its employee relations, following a number of well-publicised incidents over the last few years. Last February strike action was taken by engineers, IT and clerical workers for the first time in a dispute over pay and pensions. More than 1,350 jobs have already gone from the company's plant at Dagenham, with the company offering the best voluntary redundancy deals in the industry, the paper says. Long-serving employees have recived more than £50,000 plus pensions in severance payments. A further 1,300 jobs are due to go next year.