udontkno

Dion was a sorry supervisor at AAP and how he got a transfer is beyond me, I saw supervisors with more education and a better rep. with the hourly workforce get axed. Oh well he is clearly not in it for Ford and Ford should consider this when his number comes up. I for one could not live with myself if my neighbors saw me with a new vehicle that wasnt a Ford product. What is amazing is those who can least provide for themselves are the ones that buy non Ford products. If Dion were to get axed we would all be supporting him with welfare because he isnt a team player and has no skills.

BINGO!! If I wanted a non American made car I would buy a BMW at least the Germans pay their workers decent wages. If Ford pays $4 an hour in Mexico why is the Fusion so expensive? Because wages make up only 9% of the price of a vehicle and if we worked for free the cars wouldnt be cheaper Ford would make more money. I will not participate in allowing Ford to export my job by buying or asking friends to buy a Mexican built vehicle!

I wonder if this person feels like loyalty by Ford was not shown to him when they closed Atlanta? It would have been different if Atlanta was a second rate plant but Atlanta was in the top ten of the most productive assembly plants in N. America more than any other plant including the transplants. The last year of production they were the most efficient in N. America and Ford showed no loyalty to that workforce. The UAW on the other hand negotiated a contract that allowed hourly workers to transfer. If Ford didnt think this supervisor was worth keeping he would have been gone with the rest of the bosses from Atlanta. By the way what is his name?

This is why card check is needed. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/business/21labor.html Wait in line for health care? Not in Japan, Germany or France. All of these countries spend less GDP on health care and all of them have better rates on infancy death rates and life expectancy as well as general health. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial...lthcare_system/ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=91971170 Man please get off of the wealthys jock. They have money and spread half truths to get the average person to buy into their BS. Research and think for yourself because those SOB's will not look out for you. A mind is a terrible thing to waste on a Republican agenda!!!

I know its off topic but I wonder the impact of the swine flu on Fords operations in Mexico. I know Ford wanted to up production of the Fusion, Milan and MKZ but the Mexican govt. is asking for everyone to stay home from work for the next 5 days leading up to cinco de mayo. Although this request is for govt. workers I am sure Ford workers are worried. Maybe Ford should have one of its US plants become flexible enough to manufacture the Fusion. I and many of my friends would might buy one then.

Clinton not only passed NAFTA he was responsible for Welfare reform. No I repeat no left wing Liberal would have ever hurt the working man by passing welfare reform. Think about it before you type! Uneducated? lets look at National Health Care, Japan has better quality health care Japan citizens have the longest lifespan in the world and they spend half as much on health care as the USA. I can go on but maybe you should educate yourself and quit drinking the kool aid that Rush and the other wacked out right preaches. Card Check will not take away anyones right to a secret ballot, but then again you are showing your uneducated puppetry of the right. I gave you a hint on welfare reform and if you want to educate yourself as to how it hurts the working class, then have at it. If you elect to start typing before you research then you will again show how uneducated and brainwashed you really are! Why do working people always preach for the wealthy? Working people should always stand up for the working class and tell the wealthy to fight their own battles. This would effectively eliminate the BS right wing agenda and bring a left wing socialist view and a center left view to the greatest country in the world. The USA!!!

I for one am ready for a Liberal left to take control of our economy. For the last 25 years our country has been run by the far right (Bush's, Reagan) and the center right (Clinton). This is why Clinton went with the Bush agenda to get NAFTA passed. If we had a true left wing leader, that sorry agreement along with others would have never been passed. If we could have a true left government we would have National Health Care, card check and better trade agreements.

The only time I would be scared negotiating with the government is when it is flush with Republicans. They do not give a damn about the working man. Lets face it if it were not for the government stepping in with bridge loans, the great private sector American auto industry would be gone today. Our government saved these dumba#$% who think they are so smart and the government is so bad. Our "awful" government stepped in to save the private sector banking industry that knows it all too. I think its about high time people figure out that our government is the solution and not the problem many times and if we were to ignor the lobbiest and big business crys on government healthcare, our government could help solve that problem. Republicans preach soundbites and on the surface they sound good but when one digs deeper and studies their statements many times they are hollow or flat out wrong. Not saying some of these people do not mean well its just their reality dosnt always match their theory. Neil Bortz and his "fair tax" is the perfect example. In theory it sounds good but in reality it would never work and I for one hate the complacted tax code but the fair tax would kill demand for goods and we all know what happens when demand falls, layoffs increase.

I didnt think about that you are correct. Although I do wonder if the shares will be traded right away on the new Chrysler or will they be in "private hands" such as they are with Cerberus? But you make perfect sense on the issue of the UAW selling the shares to cover health care.

I agree with employee ownership but I question (do not know) the structure of this agreement. The union should appoint a 3rd party group to run the companies. The group should be union friendly with a business accumen which would prevent the union from having opposing intrest during contract negotiations. I would like to get the framework of the agreement and would love for the UAW to refer to professional help. http://dept.kent.edu/oeoc/

If the UAW has controling intrest in Chrysler and GM, they could refuse to do business with American Axle. Wouldnt that be a sore point for the scab company?

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/ar...53&Symbol=F "Under the UAW deal, which was reached with Chrysler, Fiat and the U.S. Treasury Department, cost-of-living pay raises will be suspended through the contract's expiration in 2011, and it adds a provision for binding arbitration on a new contract through 2015. If no agreement can be reached on a new contract, the arbitrator must base total hourly labor costs on a rate comparable to Chrysler's U.S. competitors, including foreign-owned manufacturers like Toyota." Arbitration if a contract cant be reached? If I am reading this correctly, a union trust will own 55% of Chrysler, if this trust is tied into the UAW, why would the UAW push for strong wages? This could be a conflict of intrest depending on how it is structured. I wonder if this union trust will include the CAW? Will this stock be sold on the open market? "Workers will only get 50% of their gross pay if laid off", but no mention of how long this pay will last. Additionally I wonder if the UAW requested for the US govt to clean up the unfair trade issues facing the American workers. If these poor trade agreements with Mexico, Japan, S. Korea, Germany are not fixed the US autoworker will be at a distinct disadvantage and the only way the workers in the US will be able to keep their job is with reduced pay and little or no benefits.

Die I understand how you feel about Republicans and I have long thought similar thoughts. But I have come to figure out that they are not against the middleclass, they are for the rich. If that means the middleclass suffers then so be it but it is not like they say lets figure out ways to screw the middleclass, they say lets figure out ways to make the wealthy more money. It just so happens the easiest way to make more money is by reducing pay and benefits or opening up free trade agreements that do not promote labor or environmental standards such as NAFTA. Since NAFTA was enacted the UAW has been pressured to compete with low Mexican wages and regardless of how much we give we will never be able to live off a $1.50 an hour as the recent negotiated Mexican two tiered wage calls for. The way I see it is once Americans begin to suffer in mass, they will take to the streets and protest the unfair treatement afforded the wealthy. By the way it is not a tax issue its an income/opportunity issue. The tax issue was another front by the Republicans to help the wealthy.

I supported the last cuts because it was what our union ask from us and it was a good faith move to our company, not because it was do or die. Now that we have made a good faith move to our company they should return the gesture. Who cares if GM or Chrysler have a $10 per hour advantage? If the vehicle is comprised of 9% labor cost and GM gets a 20% advantage then a $30,000 vehicle would be $540 cheaper at GM, come on people $500 is not going to make a person switch from a F150 to a Chevy, or from a Taurus to an Impala. At this point I would be insulted if Ford asked us to come to the table and accept more cuts and not only would I not support it I would never promote a Ford product again!!!! This would be a clear sign of them treating the workers as the servants not part of the family!!!

Ford makes good vehicles and Ford isnt the one who is screwing you, the American govt. is screwing us by not negotiating fair trade agreements or protecting workers rights. The best thing that you can do if you get hired at a nonunion plant is to organize it maybe the UAW or maybe another union but do you think any other worker would get the same consideration that Chryslers retirees are getting? This is unheard of, if it is true the union has it where the retirees will continue to get their pensions and health benefits in a Chrysler bankruptcy. If this is true I give kudos to the international negotiators!!!!!

If people are keeping their cars longer, I would think the parts division would be doing much better. Does anyone have any numbers of how Ford parts is holding up? This division has to make Ford good money, Ford either produces parts or contracts to purchase huge amounts of parts and should be getting the lowest cost per unit that can be had. Therefore Ford should be able to not only compete but beat the auto parts stores on price and quality.

The UAW is asking for us to call, write or email the President and request workers and retirees get a fair shake in the current auto negotiations. This is an opportunity for the membership to help themselves!!! Print the article, take it to work and pass it out, give it to your neighbors and friends. http://www.uaw.org/auto/04_20_09auto1.cfm

This does not seem to be all that perfect either. Many people work 9 to 5 if they were to go to the dealer after work say 5:30 pm on Monday and the dealer needed to order a part that part wouldnt arrive until Wed. If most dealers are open until 8 pm then part orders should be allowed until 8 pm this would allow more customers to get their parts the next day. Maybe the HVC's would start working later in the day to cover the process.

Tell that to all of the employees that lost their job at Atlanta, St. Louis, Norfolk or any other US assembly plant that could have built the Edge, MKX, MKT and tell that to the Wixom workers who lost the Town Car but could have built the Crown Vic and Marquis. Since China has a several hundred billion dollar trade surplus a year, we are supposed to forget the $100 billion a year with Canada? It all adds up and if American companies relocate to Canada I wont have a job, I do not have a work permit or union card for Canada. Its not personal its survival and it is up to each of us to look out for our interest first.

I wonder what the cost/profit difference is between todays system and the system of 10 yrs ago. Although 10 years ago Ford cars were not as durable and Ford was making big profits with around 28% market share. Now Ford is running around 15% market share and is building much more durable vehicles but has close to 20 depots as opposed to a half of dozen 10 yrs ago, makes you wonder how efficient and cost effective the HVC's are today. If Ford really wanted to put pressure on the small dealers they would go to the old system, the large dealers would keep enough inventory to service customers while the small dealers would have to wait for parts or spend more money buying the part from a large dealer close by. Either way this would eventually force more small dealers to close and right size the dealer network for Fords market share.

I agree with part of your post. I look at my future 1st because Ford wont. Therefore if I lose my job I would be able to transfer to another Ford plant with openings in the USA, not Canada and this is why I will not buy a Ford made in Canada or Mexico. Lets assume every Ford worker in the USA decided to buy Ford products made in Canada and Mexico and the US public did the same, where would we be? Plus Canada is running a $99 billion a year trade surplus with the US they are not buying American goods to the same extent that we are buying Canadian goods. In economic terms this is leakage and the money is not working in multiples throughout the US economy. For the record I do not have anything against Canadians or Mexicans and I do not wish bad on anyone, I am just looking out for my family first.

I agree these guys are stupid at best and should do mankind a favor and go kill themselves! They are the union and if they believe that they can do better without a union then they need to. I for one am not saying we dont need some reform in our union but it is not on the dues side, its on the representation and accountablity side. We as union members need to give constructive criticism and solutions to our problems otherwise we will continue down a unsure future.

I understand this but EFCA had no chance with Bush or any other Republican as President it would have been vetoed!

You hit the nail on the head! How could any worker fall into line with the wealthy and believe that if goods are cheaper as a result of wage cuts, demand will increase? This is the rich mans line because he wants to make more money at the expense of workers. But what these people dont think is we all have fixed cost that are not going down. When our disposable income is reduced, we buy fewer goods and services. If all autoworkers took a 50% pay and benefit cut and the automakers reduced the vehicles by the same amount (which they wouldnt) then a vehicle that cost $25000 would go down approx. $1,250. I dont think $1250 is going to create demand for vehicles. On the other hand when the autoworkers go from $60,000 a year with benefits to $30,000 a year and paying for half of their benefits they will essentially be removed from the new car market along with other goods and services. This will create a downward spiral that will force other companies to layoff workers and/or close businesses. Workers at Wal-Mart are in the same boat. Wal-Mart sells so many units of goods a year that if they were to raise prices just 2 or 3% they could give each worker a living wage with health care and still make billions of dollars profit a year. A person who spends $100 at Wal-Mart will pay $2-$3 more but save on taxes for social services provided to Wal-Mart employees. I supported Obama and hope he passes the Employee Free Choice Act so all workers can have a voice at work and an opportunity to share in their companies wealth creation.

A judge will not order for parts of a contract to be null and void, all a judge will do is either throw out the whole contract or not. At this point workers become work at will workers and have to accept the pay and benefit package offered by the company or not work. There is no negotiating at this point. I say if the package is unreasonable the workers should create as much civil unrest as possible and force the companies and the govt to step up and create better terms. I believe that enough civil unrest from the public could force the govt to change the BS trade agreements this would require more companies to move production into the US or face huge tariffs essentially making their vehicles and parts overpriced and unsaleable. GM, Ford and Chrysler do not want this to happen because they build a large portion of their parts outside of the US. These compaines could care less about its workers they are in it for profit.