THE Federal Government says it is "reasonably confident" the right decisions will be made about restructuring troubled car parts maker CMI in order to save jobs.
Almost 2000 workers at Ford face being stood down today as a flow-on effect of a dispute involving car parts supplier CMI Industrial.
Ford gave the deadline at the start of the week, saying 1800 workers at its Geelong and Broadmeadows plants may have to be stood down temporarily until the dispute is resolved.
About 80 workers at CMI's Campbellfield factory have been locked out since Friday after the landlord changed the locks in a dispute over rent payment, believed to be around $150,000.
Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten says CMI appears to be a viable business.
"We believe it may be possible to restructure the business, working with the car companies to make sure that this threat to the Ford production process alleviates," he told reporters in Melbourne.