fordguy61mi

Wait a minute, didn't the government make a BIG deal out of us not being on par with the foreign companies wages and benefits? That's why we had to take concessions in the modification of the contract, right? Well that should work both ways, shouldn't it? If GM gets major wage concessions from the UAW in a bankruptcy, then the transplants will have to lower their wages and benefits so we're all competitive like they wanted us to do, right? WRONG. It's only when WE'RE ahead that they pull that shit. The transplants wages won't be touched if we're all making $14 an hour, you can bet on that.

I think your corncob pipe has crack residue in it! There are many people at Saline that are NOT from Manchester or Lenawee county. Besides, I know a few from that area and they are good people. Bad stereotype, muh man!

I understand there was a need for pattern bargaining when all of the Big 3 were all in similar situations. But the business climate has totally changed and there are different needs for the different companies. If GM and/or Chrysler get more concessions from the UAW in a bankruptcy and then Ford asks for the same, then the UAW needs to take a stand and say that pattern bargaining doesn't apply to Ford since Ford is not in bankruptcy. This pattern bargaining needs to go to the wayside and the different companies need to be addressed with their specific needs. I know the UAW represents everyone but they shouldn't take down the standard of members at another company just so everyone is treated equally with the workers in the bankrupt companies. That's not fair and equitable either. I'm sure the union won't take that stand but it should.

He sounds like a pretty good guy. Did anyone here on the forum go see him and if so, how was it? http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090408/ap_on_...comedy_stimulus

I thought the Escape line was transferred to Kansas City.

Man, that whole situation really sucks. Someone really dropped the ball there.

You'd be surprised what people can do when it's either get to work or not be able to pay their bills.

I totally agree Cap'n

I watched the speech and all I could hear was "blah blah blah DEEPER SACRIFICES blah blah MORE CONCESSIONS blah blah". This ain't lookin' good.

If Chrysler doesn't buddy up with Fiat then they're screwed. The government is done with them. This is getting scary...er. http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20647

Apology accepted. Man, I just hope we start selling cars soon or all of us are going to be out of a job! Peace brother.

Woah! Geez DetroitFanz, I supported something you said in another thread and I don't have anything against you nor was I trying to tell people what to do. No need to go off on me like that. I was just trying to help make a little peace here, smooth things over, so to speak. I wish we could all get along a little better on here but I know these are emotionally charged times. That's all I'm saying. It was more of a suggestion that we stop arguing about who works harder, not a command. And hey that slap hurt!

I don't understand why you guys are even having this pissing contest about who's job is harder at what plant anyway. Hell I didn't start working for Ford until I was 32 and I had WAY harder and crappier jobs than ANY of the jobs in the Ford plants. Can we just move on from this bickering? I understand the whole alpha-male thing and butting horns to prove dominance but can we move past this whole debate? Puh-leeeeeease. Too much testosterone up in this mo-fo. It really is irrelevant.

There is validity in what you say. One thing is for certain: there are no certainties in Ford Motor Company right now. You can't say "this is how it's going to be". Nothing shocks me anymore....ANYTHING can happen. The people that were sent to Saline from Utica were told they'd be there for about 3 months. They've been there a LONG time and aren't going anywhere. People say with such certainty "Saline will be sold or closed". Yes that is the rhetoric coming out of the glass house and yes it may happen. But it may NOT, too. History has shown us that Ford has no problem scrapping plans to go in another direction. The honest truth is that none of us knows what's going to happen at Saline or anywhere else in the system. The industry is so volatile right now that we can't see two feet in front of our face. So decisions like coming to Saline are based on blind faith. You might be there for a year, you might retire from there. Only time will tell. Good luck to everyone.

That asshole Corker needs to GO.

Pete? Is that you? lol

Looks like the government is serious about trying to help the auto industry. This is a good thing! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_bi_ge/auto_bailout

Listen buddy, Your full of shit. I just talked to 2 tradesman that are on 7 /12s Right now. AT SALINE so stop blowing smoke up our laid off asses. I'm not going to get in a pissing match with you. I was simply telling you what was going on here. You can choose to believe it or not.

No one is working 7/12's at Saline. We're not getting much overtime at all right now.

I was sitting here reading this thinking, we don't have ANY orange tradesmen at Saline. But I did forget about that guy in the powerhouse. Wow people are really trying to stir the pot on the trades at the ACH plants. I understand the frustration of the laid off tradesmen, but there isn't anything going on at Saline that shouldn't be regarding the trades, so you guys might as well end the witch hunt right now. It just isn't true....any of it. All of us, save that one guy in the powerhouse, are full blue employees and just hoping to keep our jobs since we're slated to close or be sold. It's just by the grace of God that we're still working here.

I value people with a lot of experience in their trade and life in general and I draw from that on a daily basis in my job. The original poster was intentionally being inflammatory in his post and stirring the pot. As for you guys with 30+ years, thanks for your service and it will be sad to see you go when you do, but I'll wish you a lot of luck when that happens. By the way, Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! :happy feet:

Yeah that is funny. They could wipe their asses with our contract, that's how much it's worth to the government.

I am not trying to protect anything. I'm sitting home all this weekend because I didn't get to work. You need to ask someone else besides this "tradesmen" that is telling you that. Get more reports from other tradesmen there because we got a sheet recently saying the only 12s worked during the week will be early/over coverages for people taking time off, and a lot of time they don't even cover people, just try to get by short-handed. No 12s during the week other than that and the weekends are slim pickins. Seriously, man. I don't know who you're talking to, but he certainly isn't being honest with you. Ask him to show you his paystub then. A RECENT pay stub. Some of the trades were getting some overtime a while back when all that equipment was being brought in and needed installing, but that's all but dried up now.

Well said.

I'm a tradesman at Saline and you're either very misinformed or just making things up to stir the pot. Overtime at Saline for trades is VERY thin right now. There is NO ONE working 7/12s and total black out weekends are common. We've only been covering production support on weekends and that's been limited, too. There have been a few rearranges of machines where we have to have the air, water, elect etc plumbed by Monday morning but that has pretty much subsided as of late, too. We've had no preventive maintenance work (and things are starting to go to hell as a result) and very little planned maintenance work on the weekend. They've been throwing planned jobs at us during the week trying to get us to do it on crisis maintenance time when we aren't quite as busy so they don't have to pay us for working the weekend. I wanted to nip this rumor before people got too upset about it. If you don't know the facts, don't spread rumors please! Saline tradesmen aren't getting shit for O.T. right now.