iluvnascar

Sales are absolutely pathetic and shows that when Ford decides to do kill a carline, they have no equal. In April, sales of CV, GM, and TC were only 10,516 units..........down 40% from a year ago. And through four months of 2008, sales total only 34,803 units..........that's down 41.7% from 2007 and is not even one shift capacity on straight time. I've got my fingers crossed, but I sure hope that the next 3+ years of operation do not exhibit a progressively deteriorating sales trend with little or no reason for future optimism. The Plant badly needs a new carline....and new carlines require substantial lead time. There are a number of things that might be done to encourage Ford to invest in the Plant but money talks and that's where the Plant needs to get really serious and see what it can come up with.

The dictionary defines "common" as follows: belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public; "for the common good" And the way I see it, a new product for St.Thomas is good for the entire community; and all the supplier businesses; and all the employees; and obviously the CAW. And it's certainly good for the entire manufacturing sector......and even the Government would benefit.....IF it decides to invest many millions to secure the assembly jobs that will otherwise be eliminated.

So the contract is now approved............but the REAL work should begin immediately. The "REAL Work" is the attempt to secure a new product for St.Thomas. The biggest obstacle would appear to be the Conservative Government in Ottawa with their hands off attitude toward the manufacturing sector. All the Ottawa boys see is the dollar signs emanating from their oil and gas royalties and they think that will be all they need to get another election win. So Buzz and the boys need a strategy to overcome the Feds.........because I think the provincial Government will be onside with whatever they can come up with. And the strategy will need to deal with the public perception of well-off and overpaid autoworkers. If it were up to me.........I'd start a broad-based education campaign to get manufacturing workers everywhere to fight the exporting of jobs and importing of cheap goods. And, more importantly, if I was a St. Thomas employee, I would offer $1.00 per hour to the company for the next three five years in return for a new product and/or a guarantee of two more years of production. And I would challenge the municipal, Provincial, and Federal Governments to match that amount. (And don't forget that $1.00 per hour returned to the Company is only about $0.60 in terms of take-home pay..........and that's a small amount to pay if it can help secure the future) And there are many more possibilities as long as everyone keeps the common good in mind.

If they voted no.......it's not surprising. Oakville has always been staffed wth a bunch of rebels that think that their value is far more than it really is. The always seem to think that they have the Company by the shorts...........but just watch what happens next. The Edge will soon be resident in a US plant....the Company will say volume requirements necessitated a second source. And then the volume won't be there.....and Oakville will be left in the dust. Sad to think that there are that many self-centered employees with a rose-coloured view of their net worth to a failing enterprise like Ford.

Thanks! So the "Give-Back" is really something less than a "Give-Back"! Hopefully they will approve the deal......this looks interesting (from another thread): Ford Reveals More of Rear-Wheel-Drive Plan for U.S. Ford Motor Company has reportedly given the green light to a brand new rear-wheel-drive platform for a whole new generation of vehicles. What’s more, the automaker plans to bring the development program for said vehicles back home to Dearborn, after having much of the RWD work done in Australia in recent years. Reports are that the new platform will underpin the next Ford Mustang, as well as serving in the new wave of Ford and Lincoln sedans. The automaker’s current lineup of RWD sedans, the Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car, should be more than ready for replacement when their production ends in 2011. The replacement for those sedan offerings may take a form akin to the Interceptor concept (seen above) shown at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, but are likely to be smaller with aims at improved fuel economy. Ford is also toying with the idea of bringing the next generation of the Australian Falcon over for U.S. consumption, as another push towards the globalization of the brand.

Those who would say no to this agreement simply don't understand the business realities that Ford is facing, particularly in Canada. And you can't have a new product unless there is a market for it. This agreement is designed to not only recognize the business reality that Ford faces..........it is also designed to face the undeniable fact that the huge increase in the Canadian dollar and the "get Everything from China or Korea" syndrome has fatally doomed Canadian manufacturing. The decline in manufacturing activing in Canada - particularly Ontario - has been underway for a few years but is now showing increasing momentum on the downside. One can say it's Government driven..........but it's the average citizen (including autoworkers) that keep buying "Made in China" products because they are cheaper. Almost EVERYTHING come sfrom China nowadays. So any agreement that the CAW can make to buy more time is, in my view, a good agreement. One must recognize the high cost of doing business in Canada by giving back some of what was gained when it was cheap to do business in Canada. And this agreement contains very modest givebacks given the serious economic climate Ontario (and its manufacturing base) is facing.

In reading the agreement summary, I noticed a statement regarding vacation on Page 11. It appears all members with more than 3 years seniority will give up 40 hours of vacation pay. It then goes on to say that active employees with more than 3 years seniority will receive $3,500. What is the $3,500? Is that a "bonus" for giving up the 40 hours of vacation pay? Or is it "Vacation Pay in Advance".......such that when you actually take time off there is no pay at that time? Can someone please clarify? Thanks........

My lease (2006 Zephyr) is up in April......... With reference to the 2009 MKZ which is being referred to in some of these chat threads..........I gather that it is somewhat changed from the present edition?? Is it a normal Job #1 launch timing (i.e. July build and October sold) scheduled for this Fall? Or is likely to be a 2010 model in the Spring of 2009? Comments appreciated.....

With the Canadian dollar now worth about $1.06 US; and with the strength likely to be long-lasting although perhaps not quite this high; the Company has no choice but to bring Canadian prices down. Canadian consumers are already heading over the border to shop for all kinds of goods; Canadian customs backlogs from Internet ordering are growing by the day; and many multi-nationals are rolling back prices on a regular basis. Chrysler has already announced selective price matching. I checked out an MKZ........it was 30% more in Canada. Freight on an EDGE is 76% higher.....and that car is built in Canada. And those differences are not unusual. It can't go on for long because consumers (fired-up by the media) will simply boycott the companies that fail to get with the program.

My neighbour was looking for an EDGE. He didn't know that it was made right here in Ontario........and when he saw the price difference between buying an EDGE here in Ontario versus buying one in Buffalo and driving it back, he got mad enough to drive over and put things in motion. He'll save well over $10,000 even after paying Ontario sales taxes and GST! So I was wondering if there is any move to reduce Canadian prices. I sure wouldn't ever expect to see parity - but the present price differences are simply not reasonable or sustainable. Some vehicles are worse than others.....but the EDGE is right up there. On freight alone, the price in the US is about $708 (in Canadian dollars) while a buyer in Canada pays $1250 in Canadian dollars. That's a sweet difference of 76%.

So this is, I think, the 3rd week in a row of vacation/downtime? The week of July 02; then July 09; and now July 16. So when does production resume???

Ford's strategy to kill the Panther definitely ISN'T working! Based on the first three months of 2007..........Ford will sell 170,480 CV/GM/TC's! Even a 10% reduction in sales (which ought to be easy for them to accomplish) would require 153,000 vehicles. So show me how you can build 153,000 on one shift.........unless you assume 48 hours EVERY week......and most Saturdays as well.

Just another example how Ford intends to gradually kill off enough CV/GM sales to justify closing the St. Thomas Assembly Plant. Rather than take actions designed to improve sales....Ford has chosen to continue to shrink its sales - intentionally - in order to meet its inexplicable goals of less production.....requiring less capacity......requiring less employees..........and so on. The Company somehow fails to recognize that GROWTH is the key to survival in ANY business. The end is near.........December 2010 would be my guess. Be prepared. Sad but true...

Make no mistake about it..........Ford will not be investing anything substantial in the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. They want sales to slowly wither away......so that they can close the only plant that makes the car. At one time, the CV/GM made big money......now, with reduced volumes, fleet sales, marketing incentives, and recalls.......I suspect it's losing money. Which is another reason that Ford wants sales to wither away.....in Ford's strange way of thinking, less volume means smaller financial losses......but taken to the extreme, it simply means they are winding down the company. I have yet to see Ford make any "BOLD" move that suggests it will be a viable entity in the long run. Their vision seems to be less and less capacity......less and less sales.....less and less employees.......and a spiral into the black hole of former auto companies. Sad but true.

Looks like a very reasonable schedule.....let's remember that St. Thomas is a ONE-SHIFT plant. And let's also remember that the plant is, in my opinion, the most probable candidate for full closure as ealy as 2009. Just look at the January and February sales of CV/GM......and look at the trend over the last three years........and it's evident that the car is headed for oblivion. Saving the plant is unlikely.......the ONLY possibility - and one that likely can't succeed under ANY circumstances - is for the employees to sacrifice.....sacrifice....and then sacrifice some more. The Plant must get a new carline or go under....and selling the Company on the merits of St. Thomas will only work if the advantages are HUGE dollar signs.

Saturday Evening........ CN Rail and the union representing striking workers reached a tentative deal Saturday to end the two-week walkout that has crippled freight service and taken a serious toll on some industries. After reaching the deal during talks in Montreal, the United Transportation Union said it is urging the 2,800 conductors and yard service workers to return to work while members vote on the deal.

I'd sure love to have another Taurus SHO! I've been driving Lincolns (LS; and now Zephyr) since they killed the SHO......but I'd rather take a SHO anyday!

It's a start.........and long overdue. The "500" is, imho, an absolutely terrific vehicle - but it's a bit bland and the name doesn't conjure up images of anything! Renaming the vehicle will be a very positive step forward. Now if we just officially stop this paranoia to have Ford vehicle names start with an "F", it will be another step forward. Some decent colours and a better commercial for the EDGE is a must as well - the music doesn't do squat for me; and that ugly orange colour would not make me want to go near one! If bringing back the Taurus name is a Mulally initiative.......maybe he IS the right guy for the job. Yes, it's just common sense......but that's been a scarce commodity around Dearborn.

Having "been there and done that" during my years with Ford, it's really a shame that nobody has REALLY decided to turn things around. Nothing has changed........more cutbacks; more capacity reductions; then more cutbacks; then a discussion about "how can we incentivize the good people to stay"? It's really sad to see one thing after another that doesn't make any sense........I think Ford is completely doomed UNLESS they merge with another mid- to large-size automaker. In other words, they have to be the "bought" and not the "buyer". They closed Atlanta way too soon - yeah, I know we don't make much on those rental cars.....but the sales revenue sure pays a lot of overhead! And now we're doing the same thing with the long-time moneymaker known as the CV/GM. Cutting back to one shift when volumes CANNOT be built on one shift is just another example of beancounters gone mad! The Company will be forcing sales DOWN......just so they can all be built on one shift. It seems like a long time ago - but back in the late nineties, Ford was in a mode where they could make big bucks on trucks....but cars were always losing money. It was obvious what needed to be done then - turn the car operations around (somehow). And now it appears to be too late to do that.........market share has steadily shrunk; capacity has been reduced; reputations have been sullied; and the road back is full of oversized potholes. And we have an airplane exec leading the way. Who would have thunk it?

Ten Hour shifts for the entire year............at 60 UPH..........only builds about 133,000 units. Mandatory Saturdays add only a marginal quantity. So if Ford mgmt is being honest in saying they can build the required production on one shift, then there is absolute certainty that they plan on killing off one of the three carlines (CV, GM, or TC).

Something still smells about this one shift action........... In 2006, Ford sold 156,959 CV/GM/TC in the US..........which equates to about 168,731 worldwide (I'm assuming an extra 7.5% for Canada and overseas....which is likely a bit on the low side). So tell me how you can build 168,731 on one shift............ And if sales slide 10.7% in 2007......which would equal the slide in 2006.......Ford will still need 150,000+ units built..........and you can't do that on one shift. Despite the denials, Ford MUST be planning to kill one or more of these vehicles.

I understand that there were some recent enhancements to the previously-announced buyouts? Does anyone have the specifics as to what is available for the various levels of seniority? (And does anyone have the projected work schedule until the single shift action in April?)

Apparently Ford has RE-confirmed (today) that the Town Car is going to be built at St. Thomas. If anyone at the Plant has the scoop.....when is Job #1; and what is the planned volume? The volumes still suggest to me that it will be impossible to build the required volume of CV/GM/TC on one shift........UNLESS Ford decides to reduce its marketing efforts in the hope that sales will decline more quickly than they would otherwise thus permitting a one-shift operation to build the required volume. It still seems to me that they need to run two shifts.........although at reduced line speed. That's what the sales numbers say unless Ford plans to ensure sales are reduced somehow.

" I don't believe Ford has the billion dollars or so to invest in a new RWD plant in NA. But, if Mazda were to build a new plant and vacate AAI, then there would be additional capacity for D2".. Ford already has a RWD plant available in North America.........presently operating at less than half of capacity.....and ultimately doomed to closure. Ford's "Way Forward" is to build less cars and generate less cash flow......some of the bean counters seem to believe that the trick is to build fewer cars at higher margins. Nice if you can do it..... But if you can't.......what's wrong with funding future product R&D by taking advantage of the huge cash flow available from the Taurus (now discontinued.....despite strong sales); and the larger RWD sedans (CV/GM/TC) which are being allowed to wither and die without any attempt to update them; and the Ranger (rumour has it that the Ranger will be discontinued without a replacement). A lot of very strange decisions being made..........undoubtedly more to come.

So what is the perception of the buyout "take rate"? Is it going well? Without being on the inside looking out, I would have expected a take rate of perhaps 33%.........but for the sake of those employees facing layoff, a much higher rate would be nice. Comments? Any further word on the Town Car? recent speculation was that the Town car would be killed off before moving to STAP..........and would, in effect, be replaced by a stretched Ford 500 (Chicago).