By Jesse Russell

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Ford Motor Company

may close five North American plants as part of a restructuring

plan to be announced next month. The paper says the company

is considering closing plants in St. Louis, Atlanta and St. Paul, as

well as one in Canada and one in Mexico. If the plan goes

forward as is, it could result in the loss of nearly 7,500 jobs,

roughly six percent of the company's North American work

force. Ford reported a third quarter loss of $284 million dollars.