FLORIDA RETIREE

QUOTE(Pioneer @ Jul 13 2006, 01:09 AM) Or, if he can't change his way of thinking, he can take a buyout and help the rest of us that want to work for Ford, and see it succeed. Cecil. With all due respect. You've made your point, now how about looking at the situation from the perspective of others? If Ford cannot return to profitability, then everyone suffers - including those who have already retired or are about to do so. As a retired Ford employee, the only way I can help the company financially is to give up additional benefits? What about you? If you are currently working for Ford and getting paid to do so, your attitude can make a difference. You have two choices: You can be open minded about doing what needs to be done to help the company survive and act accordingly or you can be a part of the problem by living in the past and automatically mistrusting the motives and actions of those who are working hard to turn things around. In your response to Pioneer, you said "If you want to work for minimum wage then quit. There are plenty of those jobs." Where did you come up with the notion that he or anyone else was willing to "work for minimum wage" ? Although you say "I am not bitter," the statements you've made on this forum sure had me fooled.

Dark. I originally responded to "Fordwife" who started this topic because she was scared by an article in the Detroit News and had questions about what is going on. I had hoped to provide her with some information and perhaps a bit of optimism since I can still recall when I had 6 years with the company and how my beloved Ford Wife would also have been worried had the company been in the same financial situation then as it is today. While I can appreciate the fact that you may no longer have any faith in the company and think it is wrong to be optimistic, I'm puzzled by your comment "Go to Iraq." What has that got to do with what is happening at Ford and the questions raised by "Fordwife"? I would appreciate it if you would enlighten me with a clarification of what you mean. Thanks.

Ima. Thanks for your positive post about what needs to be done to secure a future for all of us. I only hope you are right in that there are "many others" who will refuse to lose and will do what is necessary to turn things around. Considering the thousands of visits this forum receives, I would think there would be more people expressing their willingness to do what is necessary to help the company become strong enough financially to beat the foreign competition that operates under a different set of rules now dictated by the global marketplace. Perhaps there is this positive attitude among those who comprise the "silent majority" of Ford hourly/salaried employees but I have not see much of it expressed on this board other than by a small number of regular posters such as yourself. I've previously stated that I'm optimistic that Ford's new management team and The Way Forward will be successful but that only time will tell if that will happen. By the same token, only time will tell if the "silent majority" of Ford's hourly/salaried employees share your determination and commitment to crush the Asian invasion. Considering the fact that there will still be thousands of families depending upon Ford for their livelihoods for years and decades to come after the current and painful restructuring process is completed, everyone has a big stake in this battle. Consequently, It's going to take a maximim positive effort from everyone if we are to succeed. Only time will tell.

Igor. Thank you for adding the background information about Anne Stevens and Bill Ford's past experience with the board along with your insight as to what has been happening at the top. You've buoyed my spirits more than you might imagine. Stevens' stand up approach and willingness to take full responsibility for her actions says a lot about her ability to facilitate the turnaround and change the old and firmly entrenched management culture I lived with for many years. Because of my own experiences with the Company, I've felt that one of the most important moves Bill Ford made early on was to appoint his brother-in-law as his Chief of Staff because he knows that Steve Hamp will be focused on The Way Forward and not his own personal empire building. This is a time for team players at all levels of the company starting at the top. I agree with your point that only time will tell and that the new team needs that time to get things done. At the same time, I fully understand that with so many people facing a major upheaval in their lives, patience is a virtue that will be hard to practice. Thanks again for your thoughtful response.

I'm not certain about Ann Stevens, but Fields has a proven track record. Google his name and you will find a ton of information listed including an excellent article at http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/...design+strategy that addresses some of your concerns about product that young buyers will like. Also, here's a link to a speech Fields gave in 2002 in which he discussed his turnaround plan for Mazda. http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_displa...$5C$2 The speech lets you compare what he said about Mazda then with what he is saying about Ford in North America today.

"Or" is an excellent question that Field answered when he first took command. "Change of Die" is more than a slogan - It's a fact of life for everyone in the companyand associated with it. The Ford Management Culture Must Change Manager Attitudes Must Change Hourly and Salaried Employee Attitudes Must Change Product Designs Must Change Product Engineering Must Change The Bean Counters Must Change Dealer Service Must Change Ford Marketing Must Change Dealer Attitudes Must Change Supplier Quality Must Change The "Us vs Them" Relationship Between Ford and The UAW Must Change The Continued Employment of Known Deadbeats - hourly and salary - Must Change If these changes do not come about, Ford will not survive long enough for anyone to launch "The Way Forward II."

Deleted duplicate post. Sorry about that

I agree 100%. Does anyone really think Ford management would sit back and watch GM make all of the right moves while doing everything wrong? OK, I'm sure that many of the regular posters would believe that but I don't for a minute. You are absolutely right about the situation GM is in with Delphi vs Ford and ACH. Timing IS everything and right now, management would be foolish to make decisions and announcements based upon what the media thinks should be done. Right now, besides holding out on selling Ford Motor Credit to the predatory financial community, there's the second major issue regarding the hourly retiree givebacks agreed to by the company and union. That issue has been settled for GM while Ford's hourly retirees are fighting a similar agreement in court. I think that further decisions (i.e. additional buyouts) will be made and announced once this matter gets settled in the courts one way or another and management knows whether or not those costs will be reduced. It looks like Ford was able to escape from the flames below since the stock last traded for 6.79 rather than the 6.66 mentioned. Take that as a good sign.

Fordwife. For what it's worth, my wife and I also share your concern about what is happening. Unfortunately, as a retiree, there's nothing I can do about the situation so I have to sit back and watch as events play themselves out. At the same time, I'm a heck of a lot more optimistic about Ford's future than many of those who continually post doom and gloom on this board. I guess I had better be optimistic cause if Ford goes under, everyone will be in financial trouble and many retirees such as myself are just too old to start over somewhere else. Also, for what it's worth, there's one major move that GM made that has generated so much favorable press from the media - especially the financial reporters. GM sold controlling interest in GMAC to a group of investors including CitiGroup while Ford has held out against offers to buy Ford Motor Credit. Make no mistake about it, the financial world would love nothing more than to own the cash cow that Ford Credit has proven to be in the past. What you don't see heavily reported by any media is that some of the same financial institutions that are criticising Ford's progress or lack of have recently been investing in the automotive suppliers who supply both Ford and GM. It begs the question, if Ford is in such dire straights, who is going to be buying the parts being made by the same companies these financial experts are investing in? Another point to consider is that despite the preponderance of negative comments about Ford management you read on this forum, anyone with any knowledge of the automotive business understands that you cannot bring new vehicles online in a few months and that is all the time the new management structure has been making the decisions. Unfortunately, the first decisions made by this group of managers have created a world of hurt for everyone who has already lost or will lose their job or be forced to relocate as headcount is reduced further. Years ago, I was personally involved in a facility closing and it wasn't any picnic especially since I knew we were "probably" going to close for more than a year before the final decision was made and announced as to when that would be and what my future employment options would be. Lastly, I think you will find out more about Ford's progress with the Way Forward once management knows the actual number of people who have signed up for a package. Initially, buyouts have been used to open slots in plants that will remain open so they can be filled by employees from Gen and plants slated to close - both assembly and parts. I have no doubt that there will be additional buyouts offered to others until the final headcount reduction goal is reached. Bottom line. While I am optimistic that the Way Forward will be successful based upon Mark Field's proven track record at Mazda, only time will tell for sure. Until future sales results are in and the next contract is written, all anyone can do is speculate either positively or negatively. So far, the naysayers seem to dominate this board.

Although I doubt that ALL salary folks would "go adios" - those who can not or will not do the job they are being paid for should go. Ford can no longer afford to support incompetents, slackers and/or deadbeats regardless of their classification or collar color. If the teams within a plant can be run most efficiently by hourly employees, then that is who should be on them. Sometimes the best manager is the one who knows when to step out of the way and let those who know how to do their jobs best - do them without a lot of interference. The most encouraging point that I read in the article is an apparent new awareness on the part of both the union and management that the "us vs them" mentality has to be abandoned if the company is to survive.

I've been told that what I've posted in the past doesn't count for much because I was not only a "salaried employee" before I retired, I was also, gulp, a "manager" too. Since I have little or no credibility with many readers of this forum for my own views, I thought I'd post a link to an article that quotes unionized hourly employees to see what the majority of you think about it. I invite you to click below if you would like to read it and/or comment. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../605170400/1148 Is this team concept for real or just a warmed over version of "employee involvement" or some other pie in the sky "program" that will fail as others have in the past? If this is the way forward, will it work in your plant?

You're proposal to the company intrigues me. From what you state, you're now about 46 years old with 10 years in at Ford. Is that right? Just wondering??? About how much would you expect Ford to pay you for "taking early pension as a 1 time lump sum distribution....on "voluntary separation"( quit ).buy" and how did you arrive at that dollar amount? I'd like to compare the amount you feel entitled to after 10 years with the actual pension amounts being paid to current retirees and those who will retire soon after working for the company most of their adult lives. If the amount is reasonable, perhaps Ford retirees around the country would see the wisdom of your suggestion, rally to your side and contact the company to support your idea for a pension buyout so you won't have to wait until you reach 55. Thanks for any information you can provide.

Mark Fields, Anne Stephans and Dave Szczupak answer several questions from media and Wall Street about today's plant closings and future plans. Click Here For Link To Archived Recording http://biz.yahoo.com/cc/2/67522.html

I understand that the Ford family stock is structured in such a way that their per share voting power is something like 4-1 what yours or mine is. Perhaps you or someone else knows the answer to a question I have had for some time. If the Ford Motor Company were (heaven forbid) to end up in bankruptcy - would the Ford Family's "preferred" shares be protected while the millions of "common" shares owned by others become worthless?

I'm not certain I understand your point about the Ford family's stock being "irrelevent." Every employee with Ford stock in their 401-K has seen a tremendous drop in value for that portion of it. Are you saying that the massive holdings (40%) of the stock held by Ford family members has not taken the same hit? At this point, I see the Ford family's stock ownership as a good thing since they have more to lose than anyone if The Way Forward fails. Unlike GM, if the Ford Motor Company goes under, the Ford Family stands to lose much of their accumulated wealth. I believe that with his family's fortune and legacy on the line, Bill Ford's going to do everything possible to save the company and that includes working with the UAW every step of the way since that's the only way he will be successful. Anyone who has ever owned their own business understands that no one works harder to make it a success than the man or woman who's name is on the building.