ktpfork

[. tell me something thats worthy of $700 a year for those dues you pay. How about if you have medical bills in excess of 5,000 dollars a month and all you have to pay is a small co-payment. Or if you have had any children, the birth alone cost over 10,000 dollars and you pay nothing. Not that anyone seems to understand, but if you go anywhere else you will be paying more than 60 dollars a month and receiving a whole lot less in medical benefits, vacation, holiday pay. Just ask the TPT's that are being fired after a week, because they can't keep up with a job, or being forced to come back after only 6 hours in between shifts, or don't have the luxury to miss a day without worring about whether they will have a job when they come back. FYI, I have over 12 years with ford, I am not always happy with what the UAW does, but I am gratefull for what I have, because I know that it could be a whole lot worse somewhere else. Thanks for your time.

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post, I think some of you still don't get it, Do you really think that going someplace else is the answer or will be less stressfull? Maybe for awhile, but eventually, what is happening to the auto industry is going to happen everwhere else. It doesn't matter where you go or what you do, eventually you still have to worry if that company will be around tomorrow. As far as the UAW goes, I'm not saying they are the best, but I know I am getting my dues worth. I may not agree all the time with management, Ford or the UAW, but I know damn well that what I got is far better than what I will ever get. As far as the question about how many grievances I have filed and won, the answer would be none. In my 11 years I have never filed a grievance. For the most part I come to work, do my job, and go home. To me it's not worth getting worked up about half the time. I was taught to treat others as I want to be treated and it has worked so far for me. I think most supervisors are just like us, they want to come to work and go home. We all have survived before Ford and probably will after, but it just won't be the same.

I have been reading these posts for awhile now and would like to say a few things, I will say I am sorry now if I offend anyone by my comments. More curious than anything, so please excuse me, But, all of you that say "cut the check, or show me the money" What exactly are you planning to do, after the fact. Unless you have our own business, you will probably only make somewhere between 10 and 15.00/hr. with little or no benefits. This is a big difference of what we are making now. I understand, the plants that are closing, you don't really have a choice, but the plants that aren't closing we are still makeing at least 28.00/hr plus benefits. Even when laid off we bring home more than 600.00 a wk plus we still have are medical benefits. For all of you that want to drop the union, WHY, granted you may not see them locally, but if you are like me and have a wife and kids I guarentee you that you are using more than 60.00 a month in medical alone,not to mention your other benefits. Personally,I have medical bills well over 5,000.00 a month for my wife and son and I am grateful that it cost me next to nothing. Anyplace else I would be paying most if not all of this cost or my family would have to do without the medical help which to me is not an option. For all of you that say, if you haven't made it in 30 your not going to make it in 40, although I agree about your views on making it, you don't know what their situation is, For one if you retire and aren't old enought for Social Security, you will actually be hurting yourself when you do reach that age, your SS will be cut because of you retiring early. Two, these people you are talking about should be THANKED for giving you what you have today, if it weren't for them, we wouldn't have what we have today. FYI: I have 11 years in and am hoping that somehow,somewhere, I will be able to finish my last 19. So with that I would like to thank the UAW and Ford for giving me what I have now and hope that you can work it out. If Ford goes under it will hurt more than just Ford workers. I hope you all get what you want, and want what you get. Thank you for your time.