Tradesman's Lady

On the FORD side.....I want the company to be healthy. If US takes cuts, CANADA and MEX and everyone else should too!

hmmmm - in the US we lost all bonuses.

Not seeing much support from any party as far as the unions go........Dem or Rep once we are all owned by the government there is only once voice. Certainly not a fan of Alec Baldwin. Thankful Ford seems to be keeping their head above water and trying to do it on their own. We need more support from Americans that appreciate companies that haven't taken handouts to survive.

Thank you AT&T.... I too will support your products! A great way for America to support America. Wish both the state and federal government would make the same commitment.

as transferree.....just know you will get a newbie job. Seniority will keep you here, but anything you have built up back home for a better job - gone. It's tough. 24 years seniority, I work side by side with 9 years and under seniority. I'm proud to be UAW and focus on quality. Until you are a transferree, nobody understands what it means to have a plant close.

I hope we will not be dependent on the government and can turn things around........I hope Mulally has been making strides towards our success. Bottomline - nobody is buying right now and can't get loans. What is the solution? I am proud of Ford, but as a family that has relocated, took paycuts and worries about the future I don't think we can give up much more after 25 years of service. I'm just about to hit the college days with kids and this was not the future we envisioned. What does 30 and out even mean anymore?

Hey Congress.... Protect my pension just like you protect your own! Let the people vote on raises and pensions for Congress! When there's nothing left, there's nothing left! Working hard for America, is it working for You!

CALL, WRITE, senators & representatives NOW. Everyone reading this email should flood the phone lines....get your friends and relatives involved. We are hardworking americans that deserve our jobs and our pensions as much as they do. Yes, they vote themselves raises and pension security without scrutiny!

so really - the 13 years they worked in their given trade shouldn't count at all?

Is it really ALL being called back? We haven't been notified. For anyone laid off, in GEN, or relocated - it sucks! Decisions are made based on info given and we all know not much info is given. Yahoo for anyone getting back into what they were trained to do. Love em or hate - tradesmen took 4 years of college and on-the-job training to get where they are and that should be recognized. They pay their dues too - whether on the line or in the pits.

they also required him to work out for 2 weeks in the facilities, building endurance.

I also know a CAP ex-employee that now works in Indiana, for half the pay but he is working his way up.

So does that mean he is changing trade classification to be able to transfer?

just to clarify - KC is losing a shift on truck side but opening up a 3rd on the Escape side.

What I have seen so far being a transferee.......seniorty allows you to keep working with Ford. It does not guarantee what job you will work. Consider yourself a newbie for awhile until you can bid off of the job. Hope the bid process is fair.

A 4-day work week affects all overtime pay......you do make more per hour than production.

Wow.......made what bed, the fact that my plant closed? Yeah I personally planned that out to my benefit, waiting 5 plus years as we were told we would close, then we wouldn't. First group of transferrees wasn't even open to trades and I watched some of my family move to other areas. Then sat in a meeting and was told all trades would transfer only to be told my trade wouldn't transfer. Some of us want to work and ensure our families stability. I'll work hard in whatever job I'm given - I was proud of my trade and did a knock down job! Things change. For anyone that has had a plant close, it stinks and there isn't much info until you actually get your transfer papers. Some of what you hear here is only bitterness and envy, some is correct. Take the info for what it is worth and make decisions that are best for your family. Not alot makes sense. I'll work side by side with any UAW brother or sister and wish the best for ya. This bed I did not make for myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well i'm one of the ex-trades now in production and I haven't seen any effort to get me back in trades. Am I missing something?

Maybe you've never been faced with losing your job or going to production. Our situation, 23 years seniority both production and trade. My husband didn't want to give up his retirement and start over. He's young and once he gets to 30 years he'll start his second career. Did it suck? yep! He works physically harder than he ever has on the line but he does it for his 4 young children and hopefully our future. Tradesmen out there complaining because their lunch gets cut short or the card game gets interrupted......your brothers on the line need that platform built to stand on, they need the water fountain to work, and if you work on a robot make sure you don't add needless seconds to a job because you want to get something done quickly. We need to all be there for each other and realize everyone's situation is different. :shades:

St. Louis was also told all trades would transfer to KC. That was not the case and we went as production. Would love a straight answer on what happens after you go back into production. Are we in protective status? Can we go back as trade? Decisions are made so quickly without the right information. With as many people that say they are transferring to KC, guess they don't pull you off production if an opening comes up. Daily we are asked to go home - too many people. Great to have a job though - anyone going through the wait I feel for ya!

we are transferrees from St. Louis. We also were told all skilled trades would transfer. My husband is now busting butt on a low seniority job (they would not allow him to transfer with his trade). Took transfer to secure job (he has 20+ seniority).

As a tradesman, now working production with 23 years seniority, NEVER say never! My plant closed and the relocation plant does not have my classification. I do work day in and day out that people with half my seniority won't do. Seniority keeps you working but does not guarantee what you will do. Seniority does not get you a better job - you have to fight for it. Ford will educate you - but also doesn't care if you take your education to the streets. If you go now - they can hire someone 2nd tier! All fellow trades that complain when they are given a job, or they don't have a cart to drive to get there, or you feel like you haven't had time to drive to Mc Donalds or play cards, picture yourself back in production and next time fix the water fountain that is broken, when there is a breakdown do all you can to help your fellow UAW and make his job easier. Someday it may just be you again!

See some of us don't have our job...........plant closed, plants open for us to transfer not taking my trade and now I'm back in production. Grateful for a job. I now work at a plant that uses contractors everyday for the job they trained me for.

Waa! Waa! It is a crazy union world where we are both protected and pitted against each other. There are good workers and bad both in Trade's and Production........everyone hopes for seniority to get the "gravy" job! Both sad and true......if you've got seniority it should mean something, if you don't have seniority you hope for it! There are just as many high seniority production folk doing very little. My Tradesman was licensed in HVAC with 10 years production before getting into the Apprentice program.....he went to 4 years of Trade school (again) and had the apprentice time. He worked another 12 years as a Tradesman when our plant closed. He best bet for transfer, back to production! He went back and now works side by side on many a production job with people with 5, 10, 15 years seniority. He has a job and works for the family - a hard worker. Should an apprentice fill an opening before a Tradesman? No, but it happens all the time. We all need to get back to job pride and fight for each other!

The Ford world is upside down....................there is a veteran HVAC Tradesman now working Production because the plant he was transferred to does not have the HVAC classification. A good guy doing what it takes for his family.