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I recently experienced an inability to access the AXZ Vehicle Programs website using a CDS ID that worked nine years for me as an hourly retiree. I called the NESC, which said there was a known system problem, but that I could receive a PIN via telephone, though I'm wanting to search online dealer inventory with AXZ prices shown. I found https://www.dsps.dealerconnection.com/EUSR/VerifyEligibility.do via a web search, completed the form, submitted a new password, and immediately gained access to the AXZ site and several other interesting dealer-related sites via the Secure Web Login page using the 'Dealer, Supplier, Other Login' button.

Now that production has resumed at FRAP, is there any news on when FRAP HR will be contacting referrals about drug tests and/or physicals? Like several who have posted here, my family member was contacted a while back that Proficiency Test results were good, but has heard nothing since. Just wanting to ensure my referral's name hasn't fallen off the table. Any info on timing of new shift will also be appreciated. Thanks!

From the 2011 UAW-Ford National Negotiations Media Fact Book, page 16: "The ratio of the number of hourly retirees and surviving spouses receiving benefits to hourly employees on-roll has changed from 1-to-62 in 1950 (when only 1,800 people were receiving plan benefits with 111,400 employees on-roll), to a ratio of 3-to-1 at year-end 2010 (with approximately 132,000 people receiving plan benefits and approximately 41,000 employees on roll." UAW-Ford 2011 National Negotiations Media Fact Book.pdf

Returning this discussion to the original topic, following my earlier post, I took time to watch the debate which occurred in the Ohio Senate on March 2nd, prior to the 17-to-16 vote passing of Senate Bill 5. In fairness, it needs to be said that there were six Ohio Republican senators who stood with the ten Ohio Senate Democrats in opposition to SB 5. Comments made during the Senate Floor debate, offered by two of the Republican senators who voted "no" on SB 5, are especially worth watching. While these senators' political philosophy is certainly not in harmony with Organized Labor, both opposed SB 5 on the basis of its labor-management unfairness and the absence of truth in other senators claims that SB 5 allows authentic Collective Bargaining. Republican Senator Bill Seitz, from Cincinnati, sat on the Committee from which SB 5 emerged, but Republican leaders removed Seitz because Seitz's opposition to SB 5 in Committee would have blocked the bill from moving to the full Senate for consideration. Senator Seitz's comments are directly viewable here. Republican Senator Tim Grendell, from Geauga County, immediately follows Senator Seitz in the debate and Senator Grendell entertainingly argues against SB 5. Senator Grendell's comments are directly viewable here and here. While there is a clear Republican agenda to blunt the political power of Organized Labor, there were also six Ohio Senate Republicans who chose not to support the unfairness and untruthfulness of SB 5. This fight now moves to the Ohio House.

The Wisconsin governor's punked phone-call admission that he speaks every day with Ohio Governor John Kasich is sufficient evidence that the multi-state attacks upon union bargaining rights are being nationally coordinated, presumably through the Republican Governors Association. While these Republican governors are alleging that budgetary shortfalls justify these actions, it is clear that they aim to diminish the political opposition from Organized Labor. Statements by John Kasich and the others, about how they don't hate union members, but rather that they hate the "union bosses" and the "unfair advantages" unions have created through collective bargaining, are simply efforts to reduce the backlash their policies create among public and private union members. I anticipate that once public sector union power is vacated, that future efforts will focus upon diminishing the power of private sector unions through right-to-work legislation. The Republicans have thus far sought to cultivate personal envy and financial jealousy within the Middle Class. We who are unionized, whether public or private, have been better able to weather the economic storm of this Great Recession, despite real concessions that we and other union members have accepted and which go largely unacknowledged. This cultivated belief among the unaware and uninformed has people feeling that we who are unionized are unfairly doing better than those who have lost more during this recession. Unfortunately and occasionally, even here, postings either echo or otherwise justify this faulty public belief. It is a matter of time, I believe, before the Republican spotlight is turned upon private sector unionized employees who, through collective bargaining, may be portrayed as harming the competitiveness of companies -- in the same way those statements were made about the UAW and the past-weakened domestic auto industry. If the Republicans achieve control of the White House and both bodies of Congress, I will not be surprised to see assaults on remaining public and private sector union member pension rights, under the guise of improving global corporate competitiveness. For Republicans, this is political effort will serve businesses' goals to lower labor costs and increased profits. For the rest of us, whether unionized or non-union, this is about the continued decline in the Middle Class standard of living. I sincerely regret the darkness of my concerns -- and I hope I am wrong -- but the manipulated public perception that unions have outlived their usefulness must be effectively countered. Absent the elimination of economic envy within the Middle Class, there will be no return to the glory days when everyday people aspired to get a good union-represented job, and Republican right-to-work legislation will continue to squelch efforts by "greedy union bosses and their rank and file union thugs" toward organizing the unorganized. Having written all this, I do believe there is authentic need to address budgetary short falls and the Federal deficit, but so far, the Republican approaches fail to provide for equality of sacrifice. It really will be about Solidarity this time, otherwise, say goodbye to unions -- which is the most obvious of Republican hopes.

I have successfully used Medco Health as a mail order pharmacy under our Ford-UAW Benefits coverage, but I am not familiar with Catalyst RX. Caesar, are you a UAW-represented hourly employee or retiree in the U.S., or are you CAW-affiliated, or are you a salaried employee or salaried retiree? This information can be helpful toward providing you suggestions on how to better resolve what is understandably a significant problem for yourself and your wife. If you are UAW and you have not already done the following, please contact the Local UAW Benefits rep at your work location for assistance and/or have your Local UAW Benefits rep contact the UAW National Ford Department Benefits rep for clarification and/or assistance. From myself and, I am sure, others participating here: Best wishes to you and your wife as you journey through her medical treatment!

I asked previously, but got no reply: What Local Unions were represented by the delegates who voted for Gary? Were the delegates exclusively from Ford Locals? Some here wonder why Gary would not be popular among the other delegates at the Convention -- delegates who are not from Ford Locals and delegates who are not from within the Detroit 3? Gary's presidential candidacy demonstrated UAW disunity throughout the mass media -- there is no Solidarity to be found here in the Ford Department. A bargaining committeeman from Bob King's home Local challenging Bob King for all The World to see. Oh, sorry, that's right, Gary did this not for The World, Gary did this for The Membership. Gary did the media interviews for The Membership. Gary got his photo printed in the newspapers and posted on the web sites for The Membership. Well, The Membership's delegates voted -- and they booed. The Membership spans far beyond this Ford section of the UAW. Perhaps The Membership's delegates didn't appreciate that a bargaining committee person from Bob King's Local Union should be the self-avowed no-chance-to-win interrupter of what should have been a Solidarity moment for The Membership. Gary's candidacy cast a stain upon our Ford section of the UAW. Rather than being congratulated, Gary should be shamed. It wasn't courage -- it was harmful stupidity. Think you have problems now? What if Gary had won?

In addition to some of Local 600's delegates -- from DTP, I presume -- what other Local Unions provided Gary the overwhelming support of the nearly 75 votes which fulfilled his message-sending mission on behalf of "The Membership" ?

pkd7423 says... On the 2001 Explorer Sport Trac, the 5-digit code is located on a sticker on the black electronic/computer box behind the rear seat. Open the cubby hatch door on the passenger side and use a flashlight to see the sticker on the front of this box. The box is mounted horizontally against the back metal wall right below the rear window in the middle of the cab. The code is on a white sticker on the black computer box located right in the middle behind the rear seat. There are two entry panels, one on the left and one on the right. The black box is hard to see because it is right in the middle and there is no direct cutout there. You may have to look thru both the right side and left side cutouts. The sticker is hard to see because it is on the front of the black box. You will need a flashlight and --- if you can read backwards -- a mirror may help. He says this code should work!