Ford says 38,000 have taken buyouts (AP)

DETROIT - Almost half of Ford Motor Co.'s hourly production workers — 38,000 so far this year — have accepted buyouts or early retirement offers as the nation's second biggest automaker shrinks in the face of multibillion-dollar losses and fierce competition from Asian carmakers. Ford said Wednesday the figure includes approximately 30,000 buyouts during the open enrollment period that concluded late Monday, plus about 8,000 who took deals offered at limited plants earlier this year. ...