S.Knight

Corporations are artificial entities designed to maximize profits. When things are bad and they can’t increase production to generate profit… they look to cut costs. Where your argument fails is that when demand increases the corporation does not want to return what they have taken from you. You must fight to get it back. If you cede the tools that you can use to wrestle what has been lost, back… you will be left forever wanting

Nothing will be heard louder than your voices... Call your Leaders at Solidarity house today and demand that we retrace no more ground until the executives of this company step up and do the right thing. Do not complain about the disproportionate pay of the executives of this company if you will not make your voice heard. Don't just rely on BON... go to the floor of your plants and make this a true grass root effort for change! Ring those phones off the hook! Solidarity House-----(313) 926-5000

Mr. Gettelfinger... Mr. King... The people you represent are providing you with a mandate for change. We are telling you we will not accept further cuts without management sacrificing as well. I demand you table discussions on any future concessionary talks until Ford executives accept any government restrictions on pay and benefit packages enacted for the executives of GM and Chrysler. Do not allow them to portray us as the same greedy malcontents... Make them explain to the American people why we should be treated differently then them!

The fact we have given so much and still fear our future proves more than anything we must band together in defiance. It is hardest to stand tall in the darkest times.... but it is where true ground will be gained. If we band together we are strong and can determine our future, but if we fall into the divisive tactics of our recent history... we are through...

I wonder if these ideas flashed in the minds of the men and women who stood firm on that overpass? Their sacrifice carved out a comfortable life for us. I think they would be embarrassed we serve their memories so poorly.

Kind words brother. I'm not in Michigan... just a working stiff in KC... happy to just wallow away... with my soul intact..

I guess you wanted to draw out my ideas on the product and investment guarantees? I've added a new thread which I think sums up my thoughts on them...

I don't know about you, but lately I've felt stuck within a bad dream. The dream is a vicious loop where the same things keep playing out to me over and over again. The I-UAW has really tried to push the "product and investment" aspect of this latest round of concessions. The idea sounds to me as if we're being asked to buy a future by giving someone else’s up. Didn't unions come about to raise the standard of living for all it's members? I just don't get it. Ford has not been in the financial position to deliver on any of the promises they have made over the last few years, but our leadership keeps leveraging away the future of our workers to get these empty promises. We've sold the prospects of new workers... given away our security... reduced our pay... undermined our retirees... When will the alarm clock finally sound and wake me from this madness? Ford’s market share reduction has led us to hemorrhage tens of thousands of jobs once controlled by this powerful union. It makes you wonder if we even have a future? Are we in the final contorted throws of death? Or are we on the verge of a new revolution of thought from within? I guess that depends on us. It’s not easy to admit, but the truth is this union movement has been dying for quite sometime. Our leaders have fostered an atmosphere where we've been fighting amongst ourselves for so long we have accepted the destruction of our future. We fight now, not for the movement, but to preserve for the remainder of our time the generous pay and benefit package those before us had so diligently fought for. We squander their hard work and sacrifice and borrow against the lives of those who will follow us. The worst part of these concessions is that these future employees are not faceless anonymous strangers, many of them will be found around your dinner tables tonight. I find these constant contract givebacks akin to that old medical joke... The surgery was successful (we kept Ford alive), but the patient died (UAW)…we seem to die a little more each day. Is it just a small group of us who think negotiating to give up 30 dollar an hour jobs... for more undelivered product guarantees is a bad deal... When will it be enough sacrifice... when workingmen and woman are all welfare supplicants? Ford's position has turned, but they still want more. It's like the kid whose dad lost his job and he steals your lunch money so he can eat... You feel bad he took your money, but deep down you knew he needed it more than you did. His dad finally finds a job… but he's so accustom to taking your money he keeps doing it. At some point you have to stand up to the bully and smack him in the face or he'll walk all over you forever. Mr. Gettelfinger... Mr. King... That time is now... You have retraced enough ground and undermined the future of our workers and organization enough... Stand up for the people you represent and smack this bully in the face! I hope that you receive the message your membership is sending you loud and clear...We have given enough... Stop selling us the idea that a $14 dollar an hour paycheck is okay…

The leaders of our company have had no problem advertising their new corporate theme since last year’s congressional hearings on the auto industry. "We’re a different company,” they have told anyone who would listen. One thing that remains determinedly unchanged, however, is the greed of our executives. I find it interesting that this current request for new union concessions comes under the guise of seeking parity with the Government’s welfare recipients. If Ford executives feel that parity must be gained in order to remain relevant, why not first demand it of themselves? They could easily agree to conform to any government stipulations on executive pay packages for what remains of GM and Chrysler’s executive teams. This is the area Americans have seemed most disgusted with lately… why not start there? We have finally after many years begun the process of forging a new relationship with disgruntled consumers of the past. They are viewing us in new light, forgetting the hard feelings earned in the 70’s and 80’s when our quality and focus wasn’t what it should have been. These consumers have viewed Ford’s transformation as heroic, responsible, and full of integrity, so why fall back into the missteps of the past? These concessions will do little to help Ford before the next national contract talks. If anything they will temporarily hurt them. They have agreed to upfront payments of $1000 per employee, while most of their savings would not come until after sales return, warranting the hiring of new employees. So it begs the question: why now? News articles touting a union pact failure would surely force consumers to rethink their new feelings and view our work force as the same greedy malcontents we have always been? If they need parity so bad… let ‘em start with themselves. They will get another crack at padding those bonuses… from our pockets… soon enough. Take your own medicine first…. Mullaly…

It was more like an English lesson... not a riddle. But... I am proud of you.... you have added to your written repertoire... "you're". Congratulations... keep up the good work...

You're is the contraction for you are. Upper management is two words. Do everyone a favor and enlist some sort of spell checking system. You're a dope...

,Now there would be some intrigue... but I am just a poor working stiff on the hourly side of the fence...

Sometimes you really have to question if people are able to comprehend the written word. My post does not applaud "upper management" ... it applauds their move. Those are two very distinct things...

How ‘bout this... instead of the negativity... Dear Ford upper management…. We applaud your move to replace the plant manager of KCAP. We hope it indicates on your part an effort to rebuild the bond between local 249 and management. We feel as if a large burden has been lifted from us and look forward to rebuilding a future for this company, which will return us to profitability and secure a future for our families.

Yupp… There it is….. the other classic… the defeatist negative attitude. Everyone sucks at his or her job…. Everyone is incompetent… management and union blow. I get it…. There is no hope…. Dwell on the negative…. Sad….

It’s funny how everyone’s mind gravitates toward intrigue around here. Why wouldn’t the first thought be… Hey… morale is in the toilet… things are running poorly…. The union and company take an adversarial position at every turn. Could this all maybe indicate an obvious conclusion…. poor performance? Or… does that not leave enough room for creative embellishment? Surely it makes more sense to blame an upper management company-wide corporate conspiracy… Please…

I can't imagine what it must be like to be John McCain. To serve your country, most of your life, with such honor. Then when you finally reach what should be the apex of your career, have nothing to offer except pointless, divisive, unamerican attacks. The only thing his simple minded followers can follow.

I guess it is easier to just copy paste the same old attacks instead of using the information to formulate your own ideas. I love that you link to You Tube... What's next Wiki?

I would imagine the answer to your question is that he spends his time doing the things necessary to win the Presidency of the United States. And choses not to spend his time on pointless attacks meant to disrupt him from that end. The LA times appears to support it's authenticity... As they are responsible for posting it. So my question to you is, why is your information better than theirs?

I don't know what you conspiracy theorists use for identification and proof of citizenship. But I always use my Birth Certificate... like the one posted here...

Our founding fathers didn't vote for Democrats and Republicans. They voted for Federalists and Republicans candidates (These are not the Republicans of today... these Republicans would align more closely with Democratic philosophy). Your opinion that the two party system will tear the country apart... is ignorant. It is one of the checks and balance our forefathers created to moderate extreme positions. It won't tear us apart... it's what keeps us together.

I would imagine you know exactly what I meant by "viable". But, if you truly didn't (which would make stupid) viable= electable.

I'm sure that vote for Bob Barr will go a long way toward helping you and your family. Let me know 4 years from now how opting out of voting for a viable candidate helps you. I bet those Nader supporters back in 2000 wish they had their votes back too...

Click link in opening post...read....see how President Obama supports an initiative to help you and McCain is hesitant (only because he doesn't want to alienate voters so close to the election... after election he will openly oppose) to support the same.

I have been amazed recently to hear many of my fellow coworkers question how Democrats support their interests. Some think both of the parties are the same... some say Democrats are only interested in helping the inter city poor.... others say Democratic initiatives will hinder corporations and hinder their job security. At no time in our company's history has this been a truer statement... Who you vote for on the 4th will have a direct influence over the amount of money you bring home in the next four years. McCain: Hold off on more auto aid