KcAc

Honestly this is what it boils down to. This Contract isn't about you as an individual, it isn't about me. We were not going to get back everything we had given up, that was just not feasible. We may get concessions back someday in the future, we may not. The contract secured MORE jobs, for MORE people, in an economic climate where people are losing jobs on a daily basis. Again, this contract isn't about you or i. Anyone who skims the contract and only sees 6k bonus and nothing gained for them(which really isn't true) and immediately says "i'm voting no" is a selfish person that i hope i don't work with and has no consideration of fellow suffering union brothers and sisters. Ultimately, if we force the deal back to the table with ford, this deal could get worse.. thats another consideration many people don't seem to realize.

They cannot transfer that many people to other plants.. they would lose their tax incentives here.. again, its all just a scare tactic.. they'll come back with a "we got you all indefinite tlo, but this is what we had to give up" and they know people will be happy. because they don't have to uproot their families to go to some other location. Basically putting us over the proverbial barrel.

forcing people to transfer is nothing more then a scare tactic from ford to get concessions in our local contract. they routinely have shifts work 10.7 to fill kitty's backup,etc.. when they are only supposed to do that to get a number off the end of chassis.. We will be tlo'ed.. think most temps/tier 2's will be monday friday(thats just a speculation.. no basis of fact behind that) Don't worry about that rumor at all, it has a VERY small chance of coming true. Union would never sign off on that, and ford knows what kind of morale crusher that would be. And with recall rights, can you imagine 1600+ people coming back to the plant.. think alot of jobs across the street at the hall would be in jeopardy for letting something like that happen.

Its mostly because alot of the 2nd tier people don't know what they've signed themselves up for... 110 degree heat+awols+laziness=fired.. and i'm glad its that way, if they don't wanna work get people in here who do. Before recently, we had tft's with over 7-9 awols NOT fired.. the pendulum has just swung the other way now that we have a waiting list is all.

Its virtually impossible that ford will not have product for both sides of kcap come the end of next year. They are spending way too much money on replacing the roof of the plant. Now that would seem like a silly endeavor if they were planning on closing it down in the near future now wouldn't it? The roof has been bad as long as i can remember, if end of next year was seriously all they could forsee for ford, another year and a half with that roof wouldn't be an issue. The Special session has been called for June 24th to push through all the "special tax breaks" other states have given ford that failed before. While i don't live with my head in the sand, i am not worried about the future of kcap.

I said some of A shift was whining about having to work sunday days.. not c shift, they are bringing them in to work day shifts on sunday's for 8 hours of ot. Everyone from C Shift i had to train or work with was ok with whatever they had to do, minimal whinging. Kcap has taken TONS of transfers, and quite a few of them do not want to be here. And i've heard alot of people in the jsp have turned kcap down(i can't confirm this by any means, just what i've heard from the union) So what is ford/the union to do? continue to run short staffed because people in the jsp don't/won't come here? I don't know about you, but i'd rather work with people who WANT to be here, be it transfers or temps.

i'm sure the moaning is at an all-time high on day shift about having to work sunday mornings "i''ll miss football, i'll miss church, i have season tickets to the chiefs" etc, i've already had 3 people tell me they will just awol those days.. Its 2 f'n sunday's guys.. just show up and work.. christ. As far as temps go.. they've been trying to eliminate them since they brought them back... i'll believe it when i don't see them around anymore. Honestly though, they need to hire some of them full time.

The strike vote was nothing but a ploy to have us forget how much they tried to shove the concessions down our throats with near daily handouts etc.. i haven't seen my commiteeman since that fiasco.. You all are fairly intelligent, you had to know that they had a agreement reached long before this strike vote was called for.. old Jeff Schmidt and his whole family is taking buyouts the next time they came up. Come next union election, vote out every incumbent.. I cringe at the thought of what our brothers and sisters who struggled to get what we have before us would think of the union today.

I'm going to apologize ahead of time because i may use unsuitable language. The Douchebag they sent to kcap to talk was about the biggest condescending piece of shit i've ever had the displeasure of listening to. Saying stuff like "well that video had alot of terms you may not understand" and "Let me put this in terms someone like you would understand". They talk about how we need to cut back, yet they sent this sack of SHIT from dearborn to show us a f'n video? how much did that cost the company? i'm assuming he flew first class down here.. and i'm also assuming he didn't stay at the god damn holiday inn 3 minutes from the plant. I walked out of the meeting before it was over, i was afraid of what i might have said had i had stayed. My only regret is that i didn't walk in front of him to leave via the stairs. Do you really believe ford has the knowledge of how much debt toyota has or even how much cash they have on hand? But according to everything i have read.. toyota's debt is going to double or even TRIPLE in the next 2 years. How is those legacy costs now?

The Union Standard "51-49%" vote result was used as per the norm I'm fairly positive trades voted no(but not sure on this), but that was also fairly common company wide

Only reason its "cheaper" for dtp to make all the f-150's is the state of michigan can't afford all the unemployment in the state. Seriously, all the sniping and whipsawing between plants is getting f'n old.

Straight from Local handout.. so apparently there is some actual TRUTH to it. Truck Down Week Our plant was approved to return the Truck System to the 4-10 operating pattern back in April. With F-150 sales not expected to exceed the volume produced by four 40 hr shifts through at least the first half of the F-150 2010 model year, downweeks were scheduled through September for our Truck System and the Dearborn Truck Plant. Although F-150 sales have increased slightly allowing some of the downweeks to be cancelled at both plants, the downweek of June 22 was cancelled at the Dearborn Truck Plant but remains a downweek for KCAP. This is partially due to depleted funds for the State’s Division of Unemployment in Michigan making downweeks at DTP less of an option. Unfortunately, the Company’s projections for F-150 sales continue to be less than the 5 shifts at the 2 truck plants can produce on straight time through the 2010 model year. With the need to increase production volume in the SUV System the Company continues to look at moving a shift from our Truck System to our SUV System. The local parties continue to meet to discuss all of the possible options to meet the Company’s objectives. As details become available we will be sure to let everyone know

Yea, i've heard that rumor.. i've also heard the rumor that night shift truck side is going to be a c shift in suv(but not fri-monday.. they wanna run 3 8 hour shifts mon-fri) Apparently ford cannot dump the c shift f150 line in dearborn due to the state of michigan being out of money. So, unless they figure out something to do with those people.. There will be no OT/saturdays in Kcapland sadly. One thing i can tell you for sure is.. If the Down week scheduled for june 22nd is cancelled again, that will be a good indicator of what is going to happen.

There was recently a giant order of 8 foot box f150's from venezuela(rumor). I'm fairly sure most of kc's tenative down weeks will be cancelled if that is true.

Good luck cracking into body shop.. of course.. there are people with 4-5 years of senority over there(Related to a commiteman, or a certain member of the bargaining commitee, or paid their way in) But i'm not bitter at all

I'd imagine no skilled trades openings here.. seems like we already have 40,000 skilled trades here Takes early 2000 senority to hold days(i'd imagine the average senority here would be around 9-10 years overall), Its very possible your report date could be jan 5th (the 2nd week of training for the night shift truck side) As a side note: If you are gonna come here and complain about being put on a job that is too hard without even trying to do it.. Just don't come here.(Not saying anyone on here is like that, just have seen WAY too many people transfer in that wasted their time)

I dunno about other plants. but i deal with a ton of people who don't wanna work but wanna get paid 8-10 hours to push a broom and expect the union to protect them. We are required to protect them because they have a "legitimate" excuse. However, me personally, i'm tired of covering for the "legitimate" excuses.. They make the people with REAL issues have to fight twice as hard for proof. I know its part of the job , but it doesn't mean i have to like it. With everyone fighting for their jobs and livelyhood right now, it would make it alot easier if people would just do their jobs as long as they are physically capable. I will also say though, rats aren't helpful either. But there are always rats on every ship.

3 sides to every story.. i'd like to hear more before i pass judgement myself

I checked that schedule yesterday on my way in and said No production for friday.. There were also signs in my area stating Friday was Cancelled. The run them now and fix them later thing you can't be surprised about. Couple weeks ago we(Night Shift) ran 3+ hours without poly paper and side glass before someone decided maybe that wasn't a good idea(I'm guessing they was about to take one outside without side glass)

We are getting people from just about everywhere.. Lately its been Indy,Minneapolis,St Louis,Ohio

Truck side days can probably be held with 7+ years currently.. But with all the people from other plants we are taking on.. i'm betting that number will be rising quite a bit. Suv Side i'd gather would be similar.. maybe closer to 9 years. As a side note to anyone(not saying this is going to happen), if you are considering coming here.. Please don't come in on your first day on nights looking for the commiteeman screaming you need a day shift hardship, Last 3 people from other plants in my area have tried this.

Well yes, but the thread poster wanted to know from now till christmas

hmm kcap(truck side) has no downtime listed as of today

Our foremonkey came around and asked everyone if they was gonna be at work tomorrow(halloween) i got a good laugh out of that. They also had the day x'ed out on the calendar.. which is bs I know all the good the union does and has done for its employee's over the years.. but sometimes i wonder..

well one thing is for certain.. their college football team sucks