Spring

This was asked at a recent union meeting at my local. In fact, a motion was made to try to get a copy of the transcripts to use them as a learning tool. We were told that there was a confidentiality agreement signed by both sides on this matter.

lol No! Definitely not! But thank you. Per the union meeting on Sunday, they expect the website to be operational by the end of the month. If there's anything I can help you with, please let me know!

The membership is who puts these people in office in the first place.

The webmaster retired unexpectedly. There was a search for a new webmaster and they have been contracted. I'm not sure when it will be operational.

http://www.hempelfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1454314&fh_id=13399 Daniel J. Pohorence, 42 of Amherst, went home to be at peace with the Lord during the second week of April, 2012. Dan was born in Lorain, Ohio on Dec. 4, 1969 and was a life long resident of Amherst. He graduated from Marion L. Steele High School and JVS in 1988. He was a long time employee of Ford Motor Company in both Lorain and Avon Lake, Ohio. He was a true believer and proud member of the former Local 425 UAW and Local 2000 UAW unions. Dan's family and friends will have countless fond memories of his many interests. He loved to garden with his mother. He spent hours restoring vintage bicycles. Dan was also an avid Cleveland Indians fan and enjoyed all sports. He loved the outdoors and spent many happy moments fishing and camping with his son D.J. His son was the love of his life. He loved the company of his family and all his nieces and nephew. Dan is survived by his son Daniel (D.J.) Pohorence of Vermilion, Ohio; his mother LaRita Pohorence of Amherst, Ohio; his father and step mother Michael (Sharon) Pohorence of Wellington, Ohio; sister Cynthia (David) Dickel of Vermilion, Ohio; brothers, Jerry (Susan) Pohorence of Huron, Ohio, Patrick (Bonnie) Pohorence of Amherst, Ohio, and Larry Bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina; nieces, Megan, Emily, Sophie, and Grace Pohorence and Jadeyn Dickel; nephew Jordan Dickel; several aunts and uncles as well as many cousins. Dan was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Jack and Sarah Lockard; by paternal grandparents Michael and Joan Pohorence; and by paternal uncle Jerry Pohorence. The immediate family wishes to extend their heart felt appreciation to all their extended family and friends who offered support and condolences during this very difficult time. In order to meet the needs of the family, services will be held privately followed by internment at Crownhill Cemetery, Amherst, Ohio. If you wish to make a contribution in Dan's memory the family would like to suggest it be given to Road of Hope, PO Box 211, Elyria, Ohio 44036. www.road/to/hope.org Danny was a sweetheart of a guy and will be sorely missed!

Whatever your hourly rate is plus $1.50 extra per hour provided your location has received their charter.

And they are being helped in this war by the locals! At least this is the case at OHAP!

We also have quite a few people taking retirement. Was told yesterday by an electrician who is retiring that 22 of the electricians are leaving. I know one toolmaker is and there are a few others.

Don't forget that there is a union meeting tomorrow at 2:30!

There are other places where they're still "finishing up" the rebalance! Ridiculous! Where is the Chairman (who promised to be on the floor) and the BCs? I can only address the BCs on days because that's the shift I work. But this whole thing is getting out of hand! Like the Who song "New boss, same as the old boss"! I don't know what to say at this point. And don't bother appealing to the IUAW because they're totally useless! They won't tell the Chairman to get his act together yet they won't entertain recall petitions. I can't think offhand of any chairmen that have been removed.....someone refresh my memory if they can! What I couldn't get over was the arrogance of the Chairman at the table. And when he got to Skilled Trades he used it as an opportunity to take potshots at the Skilled Trades Chairman. Whatever. Hopefully, the structure took notes of the questions the membership asked and are responding accordingly. I just wonder how they're going to go back to the company and say that the contract was defeated!

Proposed local agreement failed 58% no 42% yes production, 80% no, 20% yes in skilled trades.

Good God NO! lol We had these large coolers like they use for Gatorade and they would fill them with ice and water when the heat index was above a certain point. I think we might have three ice machines in Trim....not that they always work....there's one for sure that breaks down as soon as it gets warm.....but why would the union care? They stay in their nice air conditioned offices!

If you have questions that you would like asked at the informational meeting, please text, email or post them here and we'll try to get them answered.....

We are voting on our tentative local agreement on Sunday at Lorain High School. The voting goes from noon until 5 pm. The Q & A is from 1-3 pm. Here are the two leaflets that I passed out in the plant.....naysayers, flame away....... PROMISES, PROMISES WOW! I mean that's all I can say at this point! WOW! Chairman Tim Rowe campaigned that he was the best thing since sliced bread and how he was going to get us more money, better working conditions, an MOA, etc. We FINALLY get a tentative agreement yet we don't get to SEE that agreement! He wants us to vote on this sight unseen! Seriously?! He won't even let the structure see the agreement.....makes me wonder what exactly is in this agreement! Now back at the October general membership meeting, he stated FOR THE RECORD that Roy Escandon would be putting the agreement on the web for us to look at. I'm starting to see why he was a one term chairman at Lorain! Tim Rowe, DON'T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN'T KEEP! It's pretty bad when he makes our former chairman look transparent and forthcoming! Purely from a point of principle, I cannot support this contract! How the hell can he reasonably expect this membership to vote on something that we don't know anything about?! He talked about inclusiveness when he was campaigning, about how the structure was going to be informed about what was going on yet he won't even let them see the agreement! And where are the Bargaining Reps in all of this?! They have to have seen this agreement! Weren't they at the table? What is to prevent them from taking a stand and letting the membership know what they're going to be voting on? A bunch of nice guys but with no balls! And these guys are supposed to be representing us?! These guys are supposed to be protecting us from the company violating our rights? Spare me! Better to protect us from our own union structure and their complete incompetence! Unfortunately, I'm starting to think that all of the crap that happened to us in the past three years wasn't all Nick! I guess the old saying is true about the Peter Principle "how everyone is promoted to their own level of incompetence". Too bad it's the membership that ends up always paying the price! But hey, Flash Brummitt got a new office so it wasn't all a waste, was it?! Based on the campaign letters that were the basis for this buffoon being elected, surely he has managed to negotiate the following for the membership of Unit 1: (I've included promises that were made on the floor in the course of campaigning and the promises that were made by Tom Rowe, Tim Rowe's brother, because as our Standards Rep, SURELY the chairman consulted his brother during the negotiations!) • An MOA (although the new National Agreement pretty much took care of that for them) • Shift bump (4 months instead of 6 months) • Increase of labor pool wages by 28 ¢ per hour and therefore pay raises for the group leaders • Removal of the job bid refusal penalty • No more restrictions on classified jobs (such as a test prior to accepting a job e.g. The Dingman job) • Better standards language • Vacation/Personal time off ability of 10% (meaning that we should have enough manpower pool that 10% of the people should be able to schedule time off) • People "temporarily" classified go into that classification after 90 days (this was already pretty much in there but never enforced) • Stock drivers get an increase of 28¢per hour, also raising the rate for the group leaders. • Fixed the overtime charging issues affecting the trades • Stronger definition of full utilization for the trades • Stronger outside contractor language (Hell, we'd just be happy with enforcing what we've got now!) And of course, surely they have been paying attention to the shop problems that have been brought to their attention at the union meetings and have negotiated language to deal with these issues! Such as mix parameters, the overloaded jobs, group leaders in the garage having to be on jobs instead of acting as group leaders, excessive absenteeism, people trying to do Best in Class quality work but being overruled by management, people being able to use their vacation/personal time off, filling of job bids in a timely manner, release of people to jobs they have bid on, PSO jobs that have been in place more than 90 days, supervisors working, versatility training, gu training, group leader training, PMHV training, loans between departments, etc. Now it may come as a surprise to many but there have been provisions to address the vast majority of these issues in previous contracts, it was just NEVER ENFORCED! And to top it all off, the majority of the structure have been in for several terms and may have simply moved up a position this time so if they couldn't or wouldn't enforce it then, why should we believe that they're going to enforce it now? Another thing that we need to ask is WHY we aren't getting access to this tentative agreement PRIOR to the vote! If they got the agreement finalized BEFORE we went down at Christmas time, what is the big hold up? After all, we were down for two weeks after the start of the New Year and there were two bargaining reps working during that time! What were they doing? Twiddling their thumbs?! And what about side letters? Don't tell me there aren't any! There always are! Side letters are little private agreements between the company and the union (usually the chairman) that end up coming back and biting the membership in the ass! They don't like to put them in the printed version of the agreement because they know that the membership would be livid if they found out about them! We experienced a lot of that under the former chairman! Our current chairman campaigned that he was going to be on the shop floor, that there would be regular structure meetings and that he would get the entire structure working together as one. This is the same chairman who wouldn't bring his Skilled Trades Chairman in to negotiate the issues facing the trades, instead he "consulted" with the Skilled Trades Clerk! Are you starting to feel a little bit like the third class passengers on the Titanic? No wonder the members at his last plant voted him out after one term! After seeing the debacle that has taken place with this current Administration, there is no way I can support this agreement. I urge the membership to take a strong stand on this and voice your dissatisfaction with the way things are being run! WE DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS! We need to stand together and tell them to get their head out of their asses and represent this membership properly! We are supposed to vote on this agreement next Sunday, January 29th at Lorain High (former Admiral King High School). They've got 5 days to get this agreement to us and we're not talking just the so-called "high lights" because I've a feeling that there will be many more "low lights" that need to be addressed! After all, SURELY they were at least able to negotiate the company bearing the cost for getting the tentative agreements and "high lights" printed! Unless what's taking all the time is the desperate but fruitless search for those "high lights"! Sincerely and in Solidarity, Mary Donovan Springowski ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Second letter..... WHAT THEY FORGOT TO TELL YOU! Having CAREFULLY read through the ENTIRE proposed new local agreement, the ONLY conclusion that I could come to was that our Chairman and Bargaining Structure were so focused on posing for photos that they forgot to negotiate a MEANINGFUL contract for the membership! • If you come to work just watch TV, then you lucked out - they did get new flat screen TVs for the canteens! • If you are a SENIORITY person in a DESIGNATED classification and you want a lateral move - FORGET IT, it ain't gonna happen! • However, if you have LOW seniority and a UNDESIGNATED job, no problem! You can get a lateral move! As we look at other "highlights" of this proposed contract, we see that the turnaround period is only 1 day rather than the 5 that we had previously! Now at this point, remember, they are comparing themselves to the 2007 contract which was negotiated when times were tough! And it would appear that is what they're trying to tell us with this contract, that times are still tough! Didn't the company just this past week announce that they were paying BIG bonuses to their upper management and profit sharing and bonuses to other lower management?! So much for tough times! • The 45 day recall rights agreement really sticks it to SENIORITY employees! (SENIORITY - the cornerstone of unionism, remember that pesky little detail?) • The Reduction In Force for Material Handling Agreement could really leave you talking to yourself! It says "an employee in one designated job classification may not exercise seniority against other job classification in the department, except as provided above"....and above says "designated classifications in material handling will be reduced by seniority among ALL of the designated classifications in that department"...confused? I think the Bargaining Structure was when they negotiated that! • Let's move on to "Recognition of Established Departments Agreement"...this one is fun! They have ELIMINATED the ENTIRE Skilled Trades Department! And can someone please explain to me the difference between a GROUP leader and a TEAM leader? Why do I ask? Because in the WHOLE agreement, there are provisions for both! A GROUP leader de-selection process and a TEAM leader de-selection process! I don't even want to try to explain that one! (A little helpful hint here - the first rule of contract law is that you give words their ordinary meaning. If the Bargaining Structure has a problem with words and their meanings, may I suggest Webster's Dictionary? Another one - for future reference is "Word meanings are not contrary to common sense". Meaning, you can't have secret meanings for words....sorry boys, no secret pirate code for you!) Back to the contract..... • Group Leader Selection process will remain unchanged until the process outlined under the Master Agreement/Letters of Understanding is implemented. That letter says that our Group Leaders will be based on the Valencia, Spain agreement. Unfortunately, no one has explained what that agreement that we will be transferring to is! Surely someone has to have seen this and has to have some idea of what the agreement is SINCE THEY BLOODY WELL AGREED TO IT! Or do they expect us to do what they did? Agree to something without seeing it?! • Skilled Trades Overtime Agreement: Overtime hours worked on a different shift other than their own will be included for the shift that the hours were actually worked....did they mean that "an employee will be charged for all overtime hours worked regardless of the shift that the hours were worked". Confused? Not as much as the Bargaining Structure was apparently! Based on what these guys negotiated, a reasonable person could easily assume that the Manager of Labor Relations, upon entering the negotiations room and viewing the Union representatives quietly said to himself...."The gift that keeps on giving"! • Thanks to their efforts, we are maintaining the 2 ATM machines....but the 66 igloos (for iced water in extreme heat) are gone.....poof! They're going to come up with something else they said....what? And why would they highlight something we already had?! (e.g. the ATM machines) • The self-deselection process on a job where you have 1 day to basically disqualify yourself from a job where it used to be 5, they say you go back to your previous job instead of work available....you can tell who's not been on the shop floor! We always put the people back on their previous job because it usually wasn't filled and was the available work! • Dual supervision - umm....this is really embarrassing.....this was already ruled on by the umpire approximately 25 years ago....didn't you get the memo? • Line speeds - they will be monitored daily by all district representatives in their respective areas....do they all get stopwatches? Did they even read the previous agreement? Now be honest! In the previous contract, the engineering department had to advise the union of ANY line speed adjustments immediately! The assigned electrician made the adjustments and maintained the log IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND THE UNION! The union has been required to do this for the past 50 years! You know what they did with highlights summary, don't you?! They took things that have been in our local agreement for years, changed the dates and put them back in like they got them! This is DEFINITELY NOT UAW LOCAL 2000, NEW AND IMPROVED LOCAL AGREEMENT! • Use of Probationary Employees to set Standards - we've never done this! Are we to assume that as a former BC (Tim) and former districts (Roy, Herb and Flash) that you were allowing this to happen in YOUR areas?! That you had to get the company to agree that this wasn't going to take place anymore?! • We all agree that absenteeism is a major problem! And it does need to be dealt with. However, I'm a little concerned that implementation of "enhanced corrective actions" could conceivably result in taking chronic employees outside and shooting them...that is if they can get them to come to work. • The "historically unplanned absenteeism" days....this is one of my favorites! Not only does this give the company the right to deny you certain days off BUT if it's unplanned, how the hell will they know ahead of time that there's going to be high absenteeism when people are trying to plan time off? Are they using the Magic 8 ball again?! Unless they're planning on hiring....but since they're only buying 1500 contract books....and we've got 1700+ employees.....I'm thinking that isn't going to happen....I think they were tipping us off to something totally opposite there.....regardless, it's not looking positive! NOT A GOOD SIGN! And WHO is paying for the first 1500 contract books? It had better not be coming out of the NICKEL FUND! • Production Breakdowns: This is hysterical! Now not only can they send us to lunch early (this happened this week) but now they can send us to break early as well! Conceivably, we could have our two breaks and lunch out of the way before noon! Who's going to stop them? The union?! (now you see why it's hysterical!) • Union computer training for the representatives....we used to have a union computer trainer....we don't have one anymore so I'm wondering where this training will take place...locally, in the plant or in....oh, I don't know....Florida maybe?! • Secondary openings - they've taken this away from the area committeemen! It is now all solely under the jurisdiction of the Bargaining Committee! Can you imagine how that will turn out? If you have read the contract, I'm sure you can! • Planned mix patterns - before it said that manpower would be PROVIDED (not that these guys ever held them to that) and now it says "WILL BE RECOMMENDED by the daily mix letter"....so now we've moved from what WILL BE to what is "RECOMMENDED"! The contract is not merely a guideline....it indicates the MINIMUM that must be done! The very LEAST! And if you're any kind of union rep, you'll get a hell of a lot more! Rather than de-selection processes for group leaders we should be looking at a de-selection process for the Bargaining Structure! Some of you have indicated that you don't even want to go vote because you're so disgusted (as am I) however that is playing right into their hands! Haven't you noticed that they aren't even out on the floor trying to sell their own agreement? I'm not sure if that's arrogance or embarrassment! EVERY VOTE COUNTS! I URGE THE MEMBERSHIP OF UNIT 1 TO VOTE NO! ON THIS! TELL THEM TO GET THEIR HEAD OUT OF THEIR ASSES, STOP WORRYING ABOUT PHOTO OPS AND IF THEIR HAIR IS SPIKED OR HAIRSPRAYED ENOUGH FOR THE PICTURES AND NEGOTIATE A PROPER CONTRACT FOR THIS MEMBERSHIP! DELIVER ON YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES OR DO US ALL A FAVOR BY GETTING OUT OF THE WAY AND LETTING US GET SOMEONE WHO WILL DO THE JOB! Sincerely and in Solidarity, Mary Donovan Springowski REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU ARE VOTING, PLEASE EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!

Thank you!

I'd like to know what contractual language and violation of the contract occurred to generate this grievance. Could someone please identify the precise contractual language which was violated? IMHO, I think this grievance is going to get shot down. It was always a dog and pony show on the part of the IUAW to try to "save face" in light of how badly we got sold out.....

POA = Progressive Operating Agreement = COA = Company or Cooperative Operating Agreement (depending on which side of the fence you're on) = MOA = Modern Operating Agreement = Team Concept

:shades: :shades:

"We never wanted Bob King to be our President and we all definately let him and our local leaders know this when he wanted us to give up our right to strike and yet our local leaders went against what we wanted and voted him in. Bob King is in for 1 term and he is going to completely sell us out before he leaves. Im sure his pockets will be well padded when he leaves and Im sure he will be set up in Ford or Gm after he kills the Uaw." That came into being because the locals elected delegates to the Constitutional Convention who were interested in one thing - sucking up to the IUAW! How many of your delegates supported the referendum vote? I know I did! I may not have supported the oppositional candidate but I supported the right of EVERY UAW member to vote on their leadership! Maybe the next time people will be wiser in their decisions......but looking at the results of the last election I doubt it!

Does anyone have them scanned so that we can see them? I'm going to my local tomorrow to read them but I won't be able to get copies.

I'm going to the local tomorrow to read the unpublished letters. I'm not asking for a copy, they usually won't give those out but I do want to read them. I'll take notes and post them here. I also saved the contract to disk if anyone needs it.

And I'm inclined to go along with you on that!

Well, I asked my local president and bargaining structure to see the UNPUBLISHED LETTERS at my union meeting today. They told me they hadn't received them. So who's lying to me? The IUAW who told me to ask them or my local union? WHAT IS BEING HIDDEN?!

OHAP has their group leaders/team leaders in place by seniority job bid. We have a criteria established. Also, it is very clear that group leaders must be able to perform all jobs in their area.

A thought just occurred to me....if we were to go out on strike, we get $200 per week in strike assistance benefit. I wonder how the IUAW and National Ford's salary would be affected, if at all.....just a thought ......I don't think it would affect them in any way.....I could be mistaken but I don't think I am......