udontkno

Ford has the option to fund the VEBA with stock or cash. If I recall the terms the stock was priced at the lowest point the 90 days prior to funding. The UAW does not want the stock how do you pay doctor bills with stock? The proxy to add additional shares at a rate of 20% or more then the current number outstanding will be the shares used to fund the VEBA, that is if it passes.

Foresight is something our union and many members terribly lack. Let me express my thought. Lets say Ford retools MTP and Louisville Assy. and the new Taurus sells like gang busters next year. Lets also assume their are currently 5k laid off workers but after the retooling and rehirings at these three plants plus the engine and trans. plants Ford needs to hire an additional 5K tier two employees making $15 an hour plus reduced benefits. In 2012 Ford decides they have enough flexibility to produce all of the vehicles they need at all of their current plants in the US and Canada and decide to close KC. (This is an example I am not saying KC is closing in real life just using them in the example). I am not sure of the number of employees at KC but lets say 1500 employees want to transfer to another Ford plant. Since Ford hired all of the second tier employees the other plants are good on manpower. Now there could be KC employees with 15,20 or 25 years on the street using their sub benefits while 5k new hires with a year seniority are working. Would this be fair? If I was a manager at Chicago why would I want a 20 year worker whos at full pay when I have second tier employees? I wouldnt because that would show up negative on my budget. So the 20 year employee who did nothing wrong is on the street and will catch hell trying to find a job. Even if you only have 5 years seniority today, this would benefit you in the long run because when things turn around and the plants have retooled, Ford will have to hire. Estimated that Louisville will need 1500 new employees and MTP will need at least that many Chicago will need to add and if any of these new vehicles are hot sellers, Ford could add a third shift at any of these plants.

What you say may happen. This is why I will not buy or allow any of my x-plans to be used on a Milan, MKZ, Fusion or the new Fiesta. I will not buy a Ranger with the 2.3 L 4 cyl either, that engine is made in Mexico. We need to lookout for ourselves because Ford isnt going to. What really grips me is Ford is applying for US govt. money for fuel efficient products. American workers fund these multi national corporations/companys with tax breaks and R&D funds but most of these businesses ship the production overseas. Since I am on my soap box, this is the same thing that GM and Chrysler did to Gettelfinger. They asked him to go to DC and beg for loans but now these same companies are going to close US plants and invest in overseas operations. I read today that Fiat will probably produce a car smaller then the Fiesta in Mexico and this would create an opportunity for Ford to utilize that plant in a joint venture to build the Ka. We all know what GM is proposing. Closing plants and laying off 21k US employees and moving production to China, Latin America ect.. The UAW should have been in DC asking for money to cover retirees medical and pensions as well as National Health care for all Americans not for money for GM and Chrysler. I think the UAW means well but they have out punted their coverage and need to get back to the roots of unionism!

My problem is these new shares will not affect the Ford families voting rights or value. They will only affect the common stock holder. I think this has gone too far and the stock should be one share one vote, not the 16 vote to 1 share for the stock being held by the Ford family. The Ford family has several family members that are greedy and expects the company to take risk that is not in the companies or workers best long term interest. I believe these 300 million shares were part of a larger stock creation back around October. I am interested to see if the request to create greater then 20% of the current outstanding shares will pass this years proxy vote. If Ford is allowed to do this and they create 25% more shares, this would equal another roughly 600 million shares with the total outstanding shares around 3 billion. It may be time to sell and shortly after the shares are announced start buying it back!

I agree that there should be national seniority. We shouldnt have "Zones" and if a plant closes, the highest man in the plant would bump the lowest person with the same classification code, in the US. This would prevent local unions from playing politics with peoples lives and everyone would be treated the same. If the highest man didnt want to go to the plant with the lowest person, then he should lose his pay and benefits. He would be offered the next opening, not the next bump. This would possibly slow Ford down on closing plants also because they wouldnt be able to get rid of the highest paid workers while the (future) second tier workers making 1/2 the pay would be working at another facility. As one person said this is the current policy in Zone 1 which is Michigan. But workers in KY, KC, Chicago ect.. have no such right to bump anyone. The UAW needs ensure that the people outside of a zone are treated the same as those inside a zone, after all isnt the union supposed to stand for equality and fairness?

What about Chevy Malibu or another UAW/CAW built vehicle? I look at total vehicle content and thats how I spend my money. I understand that the transmission may be made at VanDyke but lets say Ford decides they no longer want to build cars in the US or Canada only trucks. Do you think they are going to build the transmission and engine in the US or Canada and ship them to Mexico? I would tend to think it will be cheaper for Ford to build the trans. at VD because they will use more of them in vehicles produced in the US and Canada and transportation cost would override the low wages in Mexico. Most final assembly plants that run two shifts full capacity have over 2,000 employees. An engine plant can build enough engines for this one assembly plant with less than 1,000 employees. So what I am saying is we need to look out for workers in the US and Canada by buying the products that supports the most workers in these countries. My statement is more about the workers then it is Ford, if Ford gets into trouble they can go beg for money from Germany, Canada, Mexico, US, Russia, India, China and any other country that they employ workers in. If we lose our jobs because we buy foriegn products, we go bankrupt or struggle through, no bridge loan or bailout. To make the record straight I do not work in a final assy. plant either but if I lose my job maybe I could transfer to one in the US.

I stoped by the Lincoln-Mercury dealer today and the 2010 MKZ sticker stated that it only had 25% US or Canada content. The 2009 Milan was a little better at 55% but the content sticker said that the 4 cyl. engine was made in Mexico and the 5 sp. auto transmission was made in Japan. The transmission in the MKZ was also made in Japan. I then looked at the Mercury Sable 90% US or Canada content with both engine and transmission produced in US. You guys can buy all the foreign vehicles Fiesta, MKZ, Fusion that you want but in my book your no better than those buying Hondas or Toyotas. It disgust me that any Ford employee in the US or Canada would buy the vehicles made in Mexico and when your job is lost you have no one to blame but yourself!

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/05/06/bu...ry4996099.shtml Chrysler may be off the hook.

From everything that I read, LAP is going to retool and start production of the new vehicle (reported Kuga) in 2011. It was stated I believe by Bob King at the MTP event last week that LAP and WAP will be retooled. I think LAP will be ok even when Ron retires. I do question KC's long term though because of the distance it is from Michigan and many parts suppliers. I pray that I am wrong but thats what hurt Twin Cities, Norfolk and Atlanta. I think if the economy turns around and Ford starts making the projected profits, this could help KC because Ford would need the capacity. What ever happens we need to support our union because they will be there when Ford gives up on us.

When you voting Big? I dont think the IUAW is going to even negotiate with Ford anytime soon, they have their hands full with Chrysler and GM. 2011 might be a different story, Ford may be profitable and the IUAW should make a case for a return of COLA and other lost benefits. Although Hinrichs may be planting the seed for 2011, Ford will probably be profitable and not want to give us anything we just gave up, they may argue that they cant be put at a disadvantage due to higher labor cost. I think the IUAW should argue that the company is being put at a disadvantage due to the excess exc. compensation paid. Then they should say that the US UAW workers are being put at a disadvantage by Ford opening plants in Mexico. The cry rubs both ways. I think we did the right thing by passing the modified agreement and now we will see what type of company we work for. They can accept the good gesture or they can poor mouth us and create bad moral throughout the companies hourly ranks. Ford has the opportunity to build on a good relationship with its workers or it can screw that up to the point where they will be worried about bankruptcy.

That is one reason Ford contracts work out but I think a bigger reason is lower and mid level management is incompetent and the bosses in the glass house do not want to be responsible for the problems that their managers cause. If Ford really wanted to improve efficiency and cost, they would negotiate lead people in every trade and cut out all of the trades bosses up to area manager. Granted there are a few supervisors that do an ok job but most really dont have a concept of the work. If the tradesmen were empowered I am sure the plants would run more efficiently.

If thats the case then when an employee at AAI is laid off and a posting comes up at another plant, they wont carry their time either. I say that because if this is the case it has to work both ways. Either AAI is part of the National Agreement or not. If what I described would happen and an employee laid off at AAI were to transfer and keep their time up to 84, then there could be some NLRB complaints and possibly lawsuits filed against the company and union. There has to be more to it then what you either know or are saying.

What does this have to do with Ford? All of you hypocrite shit house preachers need to find a church because your not hitting on anything in the Ford message boards. Back to the subject, the only way the union contract will be shredded is if Ford goes into bankruptcy. Now if Ford wants to push the issue and try to shred the union agreement, we can strike and push them into bankruptcy. As Roddney King said "cant we all just get along". Ford doesnt want to push the issue now anymore than the union wants to strike.

Wow I think Hinrichs is making a huge mistake! The workers at Ford accepted concessions in mid contract, not because Ford was asking for govt. money and that was the condition placed on the workers to get the money. No because the UAW asked for us to accept the cuts to 1. Strengthen its position in negotiating with Chrysler and GM. 2. To help prevent Ford from going to the govt. and asking for money. After the UAW workers accepted cuts in good faith, now Hinrichs wants to spit in our face and say its not good enough, we want more. I voted for the concessions, the first time I have ever voted for a concession but I will not vote for another one. Now if Ford wants to go into Bankruptcy ask for govt. money and the Ford family loses control of the company, I may revist my decision. But for now, I am good!

This is BS, if GM wants to do this I say let them go Bankrupt. I know there will be pain but I would rather we face the pain now then to die a death of a thousand cuts. To hell with GM and all of the other companies that play on being a US corporation. Ford is just as bad. Instead of these companies trying to get fair trade laws they send their lobbiest to DC and try to get CAFE standards lowered. Truth is Ford and GM are happy with the trade laws, they know they can produce in third world countries and sell in the US. Its the workers in the US who are getting screwed by these trade agreements. This is because average people dont have lobbiest fighting for them, unless they are members of a union. If we had 40 or 50 percent of the working population organized and fighting for fair trade agreements, our politicians would consider our calls more times then not. As I have said before, I will only buy Ford products made in the USA. No Fusion or Fiesta and I wont allow any of my friends to use an X plan for these products. My wifes boss asked about the Volvo S80 last summer and said it was between the Volvo or the BMW 528, I told her to tell her boss to buy the BMW, which she did. Although she did use three of my X plans a couple of months ago to buy a Mariner for herself and one for her mother inlaw and she convinced a friend at church to buy an Escape with one of my X plans. She loves her Mariner and maybe in a couple of years I can get her into a Lincoln MKS, Made in the USA!

Yes that is correct, divide and conquer. Now Obama wants to tax all of the wealthy and corporations that are taking money offshore. These individuals and corporations want all of the benefits of living in the U.S. but dont want to pay their fair share in taxes. The first thing the rich bark is this is going to hurt jobs in the US. This move will punish not reward corporations for taking jobs overseas. The way I see it is the ones who benefit the most of the US system of government should be required to pay more, or at least their fair share. After all if our government turns to communism or the working class revolts and overthrows our govt. this group has the most to lose. They should want to perserve the current system. If we had an import tax equal to the revenue that would have been paid if the good was produced in the US, then workers in the US would pay less overall taxes and US production would increase. It would no longer be profitable for Ford, GM, GE ect.. to ship jobs to Mexico if they were required to pay additional taxes on importing the goods back to the US. 85 percent of Fords Mexican production is sold in the US or Canada. Now lets see who would argue against this proposal. Ford, Toyota, GE, RCA and all of the other companies that produce outside of the US and ship back into the US. Few workers would argue because they would reap the benefit of job security. Some consumers would be unhappy because they wont be able to buy as much junk that they dont need.

Most people believe the union has no leverage to expect the company to reinvest in the US. I believe that the union has more leverage then it ever has and it has a right and obligation to its members to negotiate firm for Ford to reinvest in the US. I really do not want to get in a word game here, I say demand because the union should not accept any offer unless it includes the investment to build the Fusion and Fiesta in the US. I wonder what would happen if Mexico elected a copy of Hugo Chavez and the govt. took over the auto industry. Would Ford expect the US to send troops to Mexico to fight for their assets or would Ford just walk away from those plants with the money offered by Mexico? What leverage would Ford have? It may sound crazy but Chavez took over (nationalized) the cell phone, oil and many other industries in Venz.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090504/BUSINESS01/90504087 I am sure Ford would like more concessions but I really think I am good where I am at. I find it hard to believe that Gettelfinger made this statement. Gettelfinger noted that the UAW was not obligated to strike a modified labor agreement with Ford since it is the only domestic automaker to forgo federal funding. “It’s worked out very well for the company,” Gettelfinger said. I understand the need for Ford to be profitable but was it the labor agreements that put Ford in such bad shape? Last time I checked Ford spent well over $30 billion between 1995 and 2005 outside of the US and the lions share of that $30 billion was profits from its US factories. As I type Ford is spending over $3 billion in Mexico to build the Fiesta and spent big money retooling the Fusion plant in Mexico. I dont think Ford has made $3 billion profit in Mexico in the 100 years that they have been selling cars in Mexico. I think Gettelfinger should get a grip and demand that the Fiesta and Fusion should be built in the USA.

Now we find out why 50 million plus Americans dont have health care, because this is what they choose. I bet this is the same reason why millions of American kids dont have enough to eat because this is what they choose. Or why several million Americans cant find work or are underemployed because this is what they choose. Wow I cant believe you are a living human being. From everything I have read and talking to a doctor who owns a clinic in Canada, the biggest problem with the health system in Canada is that there are people in the govt. that want to limit funding for health care, which in turns limits the health care givin.

Not only does it not pay my salary, it undermines the US worker. If we buy these vehicles it just gives Ford more amunition to move more products South. People it isnt rocket science, Ford cares about profits period. Lets look out for our union brothers and sisters in the US and buy these products. After all if you buy a Focus or a Taurus Ford will make profit off of these vehicles.

Used vehicles are just as important as new vehicles. If used Ford vehicles do not have a demand then the resale value is less, when Consumer Reports or others figure out cost of ownership this is one factor. People that buy new cars are worried about the resale of that car in 3,4 or 5 years and if the resale is bad many people will not consider that brand. This is how Ford hurt the Taurus, they sold them cheap to fleet buyers and 9 months later the fleet buyers would sell them for next to nothing driving down the brand value. Control the things you can! If sales of vehicles is what your paycheck depends on then you should be biased to those vehicles. If I owned a landscaping business why would I pay someone else to landscape my property? If Ford doesnt have a Jeep for sale and you buy a Jeep then you are an inferior person that thinks a vehicle makes you something you are not. I could roll in a Pinto or walk and maintain my self worth and respect because my identity doesnt revolve around a vehicle.

I can see management asking the laid off skilled trade worker now on a production job to repair his machine when it goes down. I can also see the skilled/production worker saying, "I dont get paid the trade rate to do that work." Then the union will come down and say "you have to do skilled work for 3 days or more to get the skilled pay rate." This will really reduce trades because the company always takes advantage of the spirit of the agreement.

I dont usually push a foreign product but what about a Flex? This was Fords answer to the minivan. I had several people tell me they wouldnt be seen driving a minivan but the Flex is a different story.

Why cant stand the truth? Would you rather everyone go and buy a Volvo? After all Ford makes money on Volvo. You guys are lost and cant figure out why your lost. Because most of you are like the rest of Americans and only care about yourself and not your fellow Americans! Go buy your foreign car made in Mexico and get a bumper sticker that says "I'm Mexican and so is my Car!" I dont build engines or work in an assembly plant but I will only buy Ford products made in the USA!

I understand how you feel, but I also believe if we buy and support these products we tell Ford that it is ok to export our jobs. On the other hand if we buy a UAW built Toyota in the USA at least we have a job to go to if Ford takes all of its production outside of the US. I would never buy a Toyota period but the Fusion is no better in my book. This product could have been built in Atlanta but the executives told us that the Mexicans work for next to nothing. Basically they said to the hell with Atlanta and its workers, profits are more important. On a $20,000 Fusion, Ford cant be saving more than a couple of hundred dollars per vehicle building them in Mexico after the transportation cost. I cant be mad about that but I can vote with my wallet and I wont participate in helping Ford export American jobs. If I do that the next thing that will go to Mexico is the engine and transmission production.