NAPmidget

Nobody makes it out of life alive Trim. We all gotta go sometime. Did the research though, not sure that I am a believer yet.

Well Ima, just wanted to say that your original post was great! Some of the other posters have made some valid points as well. There are too many GLOOM and DOOMers out in the world. It is also necessary to point out that just because someone is telling you bad news, doesn't make it the WRONG news. Do your research and make your own decisions based on logic and not passion. Great post folks, hope everyone has a great Christmas.

"and most people at NAP?" Why in the world would you even make that statement? As everyone knows, EVERY plant in the system has more than its share of lazy employee's, so why single out what was once such a great group of people? We all had the chance to transfer, but most of us decided that we liked the area too much to leave. Personally, I am OK with my decision and most of the others that I still talk with feel the same. How in the hell is Ford's mistake of a decision to shut down a plant somehow misconstrued to mean that NAP had a lazy workforce? Because you live in the state that the majority of family members of the top union and management just so happen to live, you somehow feel special? Anyone that paints with such a wide brush is either ignorant, an asshat, or both.

Hey there workhorse! I can fill you in on a few millwrights and the weldors. Larry V, Steve N, Timmy T, and Gerald T are all up north in MI. Vic A. and Bob J are at the shipyard. Gill P moved to Charlotte. Mike S. is in school and working as a web-page designer. I am currently going through the system for the Chesapeake Police and am taking the VB Fire Dept. test next week. Virgil S retired and has a bulkhead company and Neal G is welding for Blackwater. I miss a lot of the people from NAP, but am having a good time relaxing and traveling. Just got back from CA on Sunday.

LIAR! Dark271 was right about you.

That was blatant pirating from another worker! Don't steal my lines, I have few enough as it is. :P

Personally, I am totally split on the merit vs. seniority debate. I can see both sides of the argument, both have good points and bad. I have 12 years with Ford, 10 with Skilled Trades, and would hate to see some new guy come in and be thrown in front of me for a position or project. I have been here longer and have paid my dues. Of course, on the flip side, being in skilled trades for 10 years, I have seen plenty of old timers use seniority to get on jobs with OT but didn't actually want to do the job itself. The job takes longer than it should, with more man-power and higher cost. Contractors would have been faster and cheaper, plus there would have been no accountability to any of our salaried bosses if the project wasn't finished on time. That being said, appointed jobs can be just as bad. There is way too much B.S. that comes with appointed positions, just look to your local union hall and the people in the appointed jobs there. Good friends, good B.S. artists, and talented ass-kissers too often get chosen instead of capable mechanics. We do have many people who are capable and more than happy to do the work, finish on time and usually even under the budget allotted for the job. Unfortunately, you will never get a full group of these people using either system, unless you can be kicked from a team or banned from future teams if you become more of a problem than a solution...but again, who decides this? I think that the main problem we have is too many don't want to do the work, but still want the OT. The company knows who the slackers are and should have been striving to give these people the boot, and the union should have been helping them get rid of the dead weight, and looking to hire actual workers. This is just my opinion, based on trying to look at all sides and arguments. I hate to give work away to outside contractors, but we need the right people to make doing it in-house work.

Plus, he makes a mean hot dog...lol.

As long as we are ranting here, I have a few myself. How about the fact that we, the "Ford family", find out about closures and payouts over the friggin T.V. If we were truly part of a family, we would have known first, before the local news. If your aunt had cancer, you would call the other family members and tell them personally, not inform the local channel 13. Secondly, I am pissed that the buyouts are structured the way they are. I have been with the company for over 11 years and I am getting the exact same thing as someone who started a year ago? What a crock of sh$t. Next on the list is the union. What exactly was the big secret meeting about? We knew of the buyout options a long time ago from the original plants that were closing. Why all the mystery? The only difference is if you happen to be 55 years old (age discrimination). What exactly did they do in the recent meetings? Why couldn't they tell us istead of CNBC? (which goes back to my first rant) Lastly, about the Wizard...I have no problem with him. He tried to give people a heads-up. Much more than my Union "brothers". He has class. End of rant, thanks for listening...er, reading. :shrug:

Probably would take you more seriously if you didn't join today just to post that. :blah:

I think that I have it figured out. They don't actually want to give anyone a buyout, they just want to use the axe. By making the buyouts outrageous they ensure that few will take them, so just give them the boot at contract time. The 140k is dumb because of the loss of benefits. The 100k is dumb because after the HUGE tax deduction, you get like 60k. You can stay with the company till contract time and make almost that WITH benefits. The only people that have a decent offer is those with over 30 yrs and want to retire anyway. How in the world has this company made it this long? I think the so called "leaders" have been sucking the teet of the STUPID cow for way too long. I know, maybe the union should have an emergency meeting about it, maybe in bright sunny Hawaii.

Well, if these are the numbers, I am disappointed. Looks like the union looked out for itself again. I wonder how many top union jobs are filled with people that have the exact requirements for the 140k buyout. I would love to see those numbers.

Had to reply but not making a personal attack on you. In a business sense, those with 30 should be the last people to get buyouts. It would be far cheaper to tell you that you can transfer or retire. Most people with 30 years have already paid off the house, or are close to it. They have family in the area and don't want to leave. Few would consider taking a transfer so would opt for retirement. Money saved! As to the money running out on the young folks, yes it will, but with that kind of lump sum many can pay off the house, vehicles, and any other debts and have very few bills left...they won't need to make the same amount of money. Plus, they may find a job that they have faith will be around a while. Security.

Heard yesterday from upper management that the idea of running the plant dry next friday has been changed. We will leave units in the system. No idea what that means.

I may be way off on this, but the buyouts mean no call back rights. I take that to mean that if you take a buy out, you are no longer on the books at all. Why would you get a transfer? This one confuses me.