ETAP suspended

[level]

Stop your high brow attitude. It's like the first time that you heard the work cock in your life!!!!!!!!!! COCKCOCKCOCKCOCKCOCKCOCKCOCKCOCK

 

I may have a high brow attitude ...but you are a little too "cock"y.

 

Edited December 17, 2008 by level

[udontkno]

OK. I'm not an accountant either, so let's just agree that suspending ETAP will save Ford $8 million (I assume per year, which should cover CEO's salary for about 1 1/2 months or so).

For me personally, it isn't that big of a deal. I will soon graduate with a Masters degree so I was lucky to have most of my course work completed before the suspension. I guess I'm more irritated with the idea that my contract that I voted for is now being rewritten without my consent. I feel that ETAP was a benefit I received for not getting an hourly raise for the last 6 years or for the next 4 years. ETAP is a benefit for agreeing to an alternative work schedule, for agreeing to the establishment of VEBA, for agreeing to a wage for new-hires at $14, and for the countless other items that Ford wanted me to agree to. I assumed that this is how we bargained for a contract.

I'm all for helping my company during hard times but I wonder how much money we could save by "suspending" some programs that management enjoy? (Other than cutting white collar jobs).

 

 

I think ALL white collar bosses should give up their free company provided cars, maint., gas and ins., they should buy or lease a Ford car for the same price that I get as a blue collar worker.

[imdevo]

I understand that some of the salary "perks" have been getting chipped away as well. I might be wrong, but I also think that the average line surpervisor earns 20% more than the highest hourly he/she supervises. I have an idea of what each level of management in a plant earns (rediculous for what some of them actually do). I won't get into whether that is money well spent. I could have joined management 16 years ago (I had my BA before I started at Ford), but after seeing Ford's overall management program I opted to stay hourly. The "old school" method of management turned me off, ie. screaming and berating from the top on down the food chain. Also didn't want to become an overpaid babysitter.

Concerning pay, I realize that in most industries CEO pay is obscene. When it comes to sports, movie, rock stars etc. I suppose one would have to look at how much additional revenue these individuals bring to the company, team, etc. I believe the term the company likes to use is 'value added'. In our case, actually touching the vehicle in assembly is considered value added. In this context, Mr. Mullaly probably has not added much value to the company. Yes, it appears that some of his ideas and direction might lead to better times in the future, but in my case it will come at the expense of my plant. My plant was scheduled to be closed by now, but was given some life until 2011, maybe beyond? I think that cutting and closing will only go so far. Maybe suspending the M10 program, or the free leases and travel expenses would help more?

I'm not sure where I am going with this, other than ranting about a small bone like ETAP that helped me is now gone and I'm not happy about it.

[level]

I understand that some of the salary "perks" have been getting chipped away as well. I might be wrong, but I also think that the average line surpervisor earns 20% more than the highest hourly he/she supervises. I have an idea of what each level of management in a plant earns (rediculous for what some of them actually do). I won't get into whether that is money well spent. I could have joined management 16 years ago (I had my BA before I started at Ford), but after seeing Ford's overall management program I opted to stay hourly. The "old school" method of management turned me off, ie. screaming and berating from the top on down the food chain. Also didn't want to become an overpaid babysitter.

Concerning pay, I realize that in most industries CEO pay is obscene. When it comes to sports, movie, rock stars etc. I suppose one would have to look at how much additional revenue these individuals bring to the company, team, etc. I believe the term the company likes to use is 'value added'. In our case, actually touching the vehicle in assembly is considered value added. In this context, Mr. Mullaly probably has not added much value to the company. Yes, it appears that some of his ideas and direction might lead to better times in the future, but in my case it will come at the expense of my plant. My plant was scheduled to be closed by now, but was given some life until 2011, maybe beyond? I think that cutting and closing will only go so far. Maybe suspending the M10 program, or the free leases and travel expenses would help more?

I'm not sure where I am going with this, other than ranting about a small bone like ETAP that helped me is now gone and I'm not happy about it.

 

Gotcha. I hope you get an extended lease on that plant.....actually these tough times have a glimmer of hope. With all of our excess employees it helps make a case to keep things in the good ole USA and keep plants scheduled to close...look at breathing new life into them as a place for our brothers and sisters without jobs....

 

Not making any promises....I am saying that things that were never being considered before are all being considered now....evrything that can save will and should be looked at in a total cost perspective....a method that Ford beancounters have had a distaste for - for years. They like their method of manipulating the data to make it say what they want...that is how they taught them to do it in school to keep their jobs and make bossman happy!

[Critic]

Gotcha. I hope you get an extended lease on that plant.....actually these tough times have a glimmer of hope. With all of our excess employees it helps make a case to keep things in the good ole USA and keep plants scheduled to close...look at breathing new life into them as a place for our brothers and sisters without jobs....

 

Not making any promises....I am saying that things that were never being considered before are all being considered now....evrything that can save will and should be looked at in a total cost perspective....a method that Ford beancounters have had a distaste for - for years. They like their method of manipulating the data to make it say what they want...that is how they taught them to do it in school to keep their jobs and make bossman happy!

I hope any Ford / ACH plant that has one UAW member in it then stays open for every one's sake. And that is not a drink, but their on me, belly up to the bar boys, first ones on me.

[smartgirl]

I just talked to the ETAP lady at international and she said that after Jan. 31 no more ETAP or dependent scholarship funding. It is suspended until further notice. I would like to personally thank the UAW for showing how truly useless they are. Nice trying to get more efficient and smarter workers, but not paying for their schooling like most $8 an hour shops do. Where do I put my X to stop paying union dues?

[/qu

 

Oh Boy! What else is next?

[Reinman]

I'I know these are tough times but it seems to me that ETAP would be very useful for those of us considering our options and want to retrain for another job or career. It seems to me that with the shortened work hours, those of us who would like to finish our educational goals or retrain for another career should be able to do so - or at least start the process just in case we lose our jobs. I feel it's better to be proactive rather than reactive.

Why don't they eliminate the legal services and vision benefit? It would be nice if they consulted the dues paying union members and asked us what our thoughts are on the matter. I know we all have to make sacrifices but it seems short sighted and foolish to eliminate the one thing that might allow some of us to make a transition to another career. It also makes me wonder if those that took buyouts will be impacted in any way if by some chance bankruptcy is in the cards for the big three. Will they have to honor the commitments they made to those who took educational buy outs? Just wondering..

[udontkno]

I understand that some of the salary "perks" have been getting chipped away as well. I might be wrong, but I also think that the average line surpervisor earns 20% more than the highest hourly he/she supervises. I have an idea of what each level of management in a plant earns (rediculous for what some of them actually do). I won't get into whether that is money well spent. I could have joined management 16 years ago (I had my BA before I started at Ford), but after seeing Ford's overall management program I opted to stay hourly. The "old school" method of management turned me off, ie. screaming and berating from the top on down the food chain. Also didn't want to become an overpaid babysitter.

Concerning pay, I realize that in most industries CEO pay is obscene. When it comes to sports, movie, rock stars etc. I suppose one would have to look at how much additional revenue these individuals bring to the company, team, etc. I believe the term the company likes to use is 'value added'. In our case, actually touching the vehicle in assembly is considered value added. In this context, Mr. Mullaly probably has not added much value to the company. Yes, it appears that some of his ideas and direction might lead to better times in the future, but in my case it will come at the expense of my plant. My plant was scheduled to be closed by now, but was given some life until 2011, maybe beyond? I think that cutting and closing will only go so far. Maybe suspending the M10 program, or the free leases and travel expenses would help more?

I'm not sure where I am going with this, other than ranting about a small bone like ETAP that helped me is now gone and I'm not happy about it.

 

I am with you brother. I hope Ford has a change of heart and keeps its U.S. plants open and shuts down the plants in Mexico instead. After going through a plant closing and see how it affected a number of my coworkers who got divorces, alcohol and drug abuse and even sucide. I wouldnt wish that on my worst enemy or community. As I have said in other post, I would be willing to accept a small cut in pay and benefits if Ford is willing to bring the vehicles built in Mexico back to the U.S. -Fusion, MKX, Milan, soon to be Fiesta. I would even be willing to buy one of these vehicles if they were built in the U.S. If GM can turn a profit on the U.S. built Chevy Malibu at $21,000 then Ford should be able to build the Fusion in the U.S. and turn a profit.

[end of time]

I am with you brother. I hope Ford has a change of heart and keeps its U.S. plants open and shuts down the plants in Mexico instead. After going through a plant closing and see how it affected a number of my coworkers who got divorces, alcohol and drug abuse and even sucide. I wouldnt wish that on my worst enemy or community. As I have said in other post, I would be willing to accept a small cut in pay and benefits if Ford is willing to bring the vehicles built in Mexico back to the U.S. -Fusion, MKX, Milan, soon to be Fiesta. I would even be willing to buy one of these vehicles if they were built in the U.S. If GM can turn a profit on the U.S. built Chevy Malibu at $21,000 then Ford should be able to build the Fusion in the U.S. and turn a profit.

I agree. I would be willing to give a little if ford brought those products back from mexico. I to would buy one. Untill then I'll just keep my old beater.