DETROIT | Ford Motor Co. managers told union officials Friday that the automaker will have to reduce the size of its factory work force further to deal with the rapidly shifting U.S. auto market, a company spokeswoman said.

Union officials were told in a meeting that the automaker needs to make additional cost cuts "so that we can make the vehicles in an efficient way that customers are buying," said spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari.

Ford already has announced it will make salaried job cuts.

"We have to do the same thing in our manufacturing operation," Gattari said.

Ford managers discussed additional buyout and early retirement offers that would be targeted to specific factories, she said.

"We need the help of our local union leaders to make that happen," Gattari said.

Earlier this year, Ford had announced corporate-wide buyout and early retirement offers for U.S. hourly workers, but only 4,200 took the offers, far below what the company had wanted. The two local Ford plants: the Chicago Assembly Plant and the Chicago Heights Stamping Plant, employ about 2,300 and 900 hourly workers, respectively. More than 600 of the assembly plant's work force are temporary part-time workers who have no job security or company-paid termination benefits.

Ford says high gas prices are sending consumers away from trucks and sport utility vehicles toward more fuel-efficient cars and crossovers. The shift will force Ford to cut production and retool some factories to make smaller vehicles.

Ford announced in May that it will not reach its goal of returning to profitability in 2009. Details of its plans are expected in July.

Ford shares rose 16 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $6.16 in afternoon trading Friday.