moukanoid Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) I remember back in 2007, Ford wanted to cancel the health insurance to retirees BUT Ford was offering a top-end supplement or a 5-10,000$ voucher/debit card to cover any shortages from Medicare. The U.S. govt. has done nothing to help the domestic auto industry and they have raked us over the coals. During the bailout hearings and in the terms of loans they have given GM and Chrysler, it was a stark contrast to the way they tip-toed around the thieves in suits that received HUNDREDS OF BILLION$$$$. So, why are we and Ford Motor still giving the govt. a free pass on all the obligations they owe us already? We should possibly re-examine our position of doing the govt. a HUGE Favor and letting them off-the-hook for what they Should Be Paying Ford retirees for health care. Ford, paying for health care that all the retirees have ALREADY paid for by many years of payroll deductions, seems STUPID. If Ford was willing to Gold-Plate the standard Medicare benefits with top-shelf supplement coverage or a 5-10,000$ per year medical debit card and the end result was coverage equal to or even better than the standard FORD retiree health care package which seem to be constantly changing for the worse - I think it should have been looked at very carefully. Why the hell was it not even further evaluated? That would of put a Huge Chunk of the retiree health care cost on the govt. where it rightfully belongs, and Ford would be saving BILLION$$$. As long as the retirees don't lose anything, and they receive the same benefits while saving FORD Billions, sounds like a good idea to me. The govt. has not been doing us many favors, so why should we do the govt. any favors? Relieving the govt. of tens of billions of dollars in health care obligation cost is a Huge Favor that I do not think they deserve or FORD can afford to pay unnecessarily. With savings that big for FORD in retirees health care, Maybe, the active workers would not be subjected to so many of the ridiculous concession demands being put on us. I feel the Union was drooling all over a deal to control BILLION$$$ for health care - many obvious reasons there. They poo-poo'd a possibly Excellent arrangement to save FORD an enormous amount of money on retiree health care, while giving retirees the same or better coverage. The big winners ended up being the UAW Brass and the U.S. govt. The Active workers became the really big losers. Edited February 26, 2009 by moukanoid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordworker Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 There gonna take all the savings out of the ones left working. If you cant see that now then your blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadzee Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I remember back in 2007, Ford wanted to cancel the health insurance to retirees BUT they were offering a top-end supplement or a 5-10,000$ voucher/debit card to cover any shortages from Medicare. The U.S. govt. has done nothing to help the domestic auto industry and they have raked us over the coals. During the bailout hearings and in the terms of loans they have given GM and Chrysler, it was a stark contrast to the way they tip-toed around the thieves in suits that received HUNDREDS OF BILLION$$$$. So, why are we and Ford Motor still giving the govt. a free pass on all the obligations they owe us already? We should possibly re-examine our position of doing the govt. a HUGE Favor and letting them off-the-hook for what they Should Be Paying Ford retirees for health care. Ford, paying for health care that all the retirees have ALREADY paid for by many years of payroll deductions, seems STUPID. If Ford was willing to Gold-Plate the standard Medicare benefits with top-shelf supplement coverage or a 5-10,000$ per year medical debit card and the end result was coverage equal to or even better than the standard FORD retiree health care package which seem to be constantly changing for the worse - I think it should have been looked at very carefully. Why the hell was it not even further evaluated? That would of put a Huge Chunk of the retiree health care cost on the govt. where it rightfully belongs, and Ford would be saving BILLION$$$. As long as the retirees don't lose anything, and they receive the same benefits while saving FORD Billions, sounds like a good idea to me. The govt. has not been doing us many favors, so why should we do the govt. any favors? Relieving the govt. of tens of billions of dollars in health care obligation cost is a Huge Favor that I do not think they deserve or FORD can afford to pay unnecessarily. With savings that big for FORD in retirees health care, Maybe, the active workers would not be subjected to so many of the ridiculous concession demands being put on us. I feel the Union was drooling all over a deal to control BILLION$$$ for health care - many obvious reasons there. They poo-poo'd a possibly Excellent arrangement to save FORD an enormous amount of money on retiree health care, while giving retirees the same or better coverage. The big winners ended up being the UAW Brass and the U.S. govt. The Active workers became the really big losers. This is very interesting. Do you have any more information on the issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I remember back in 2007, Ford wanted to cancel the health insurance to retirees BUT they were offering a top-end supplement or a 5-10,000$ voucher/debit card to cover any shortages from Medicare. The U.S. govt. has done nothing to help the domestic auto industry and they have raked us over the coals. During the bailout hearings and in the terms of loans they have given GM and Chrysler, it was a stark contrast to the way they tip-toed around the thieves in suits that received HUNDREDS OF BILLION$$$$. So, why are we and Ford Motor still giving the govt. a free pass on all the obligations they owe us already? We should possibly re-examine our position of doing the govt. a HUGE Favor and letting them off-the-hook for what they Should Be Paying Ford retirees for health care. Ford, paying for health care that all the retirees have ALREADY paid for by many years of payroll deductions, seems STUPID. If Ford was willing to Gold-Plate the standard Medicare benefits with top-shelf supplement coverage or a 5-10,000$ per year medical debit card and the end result was coverage equal to or even better than the standard FORD retiree health care package which seem to be constantly changing for the worse - I think it should have been looked at very carefully. Why the hell was it not even further evaluated? That would of put a Huge Chunk of the retiree health care cost on the govt. where it rightfully belongs, and Ford would be saving BILLION$$$. As long as the retirees don't lose anything, and they receive the same benefits while saving FORD Billions, sounds like a good idea to me. The govt. has not been doing us many favors, so why should we do the govt. any favors? Relieving the govt. of tens of billions of dollars in health care obligation cost is a Huge Favor that I do not think they deserve or FORD can afford to pay unnecessarily. With savings that big for FORD in retirees health care, Maybe, the active workers would not be subjected to so many of the ridiculous concession demands being put on us. I feel the Union was drooling all over a deal to control BILLION$$$ for health care - many obvious reasons there. They poo-poo'd a possibly Excellent arrangement to save FORD an enormous amount of money on retiree health care, while giving retirees the same or better coverage. The big winners ended up being the UAW Brass and the U.S. govt. The Active workers became the really big losers. I know it was early in the morning ...... who is "they" that you write about in the first sentence? How is my government "on the hook" for my health care? We workers took a pay cut/freeze,and the retirees started paying monthly charges for insurance. I don't remember any involvement of the government....maybe I missed something.....please explain. Why do you feel the government "owes" Ford or us anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moukanoid Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 I know it was early in the morning ...... who is "they" that you write about in the first sentence? How is my government "on the hook" for my health care? We workers took a pay cut/freeze,and the retirees started paying monthly charges for insurance. I don't remember any involvement of the government....maybe I missed something.....please explain. Why do you feel the government "owes" Ford or us anything. They (Ford) wanted to get Medicare eligible retirees to get on Medicare, which would be bolstered by a supplement to make it top-notch and as good as the benefits Ford provides. The govt. is off the hook on paying their health care obligation because Ford is taking care of the Medicare eligible retirees on their dime instead of the Government. This plan was talked about briefly and was in the newspaper, news, media, etc. as the 2007 negotiations were just beginning and the idea was brushed off quickly by the UAW negotiators. UAW was more than happy to manage the multi-billion dollar VEBA, though. Ford would of taken care of anyone not Medicare eligible with the existing Ford retiree health care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udontkno Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 They (Ford) wanted to get Medicare eligible retirees to get on Medicare, which would be bolstered by a supplement to make it top-notch and as good as the benefits Ford provides. The govt. is off the hook on paying their health care obligation because Ford is taking care of the Medicare eligible retirees on their dime instead of the Government. This plan was talked about briefly and was in the newspaper, news, media, etc. as the 2007 negotiations were just beginning and the idea was brushed off quickly by the UAW negotiators. UAW was more than happy to manage the multi-billion dollar VEBA, though. Ford would of taken care of anyone not Medicare eligible with the existing Ford retiree health care. You are spot on, once a retiree turns Medicare eligible all that is needed by Ford is a supplement. This would be much more cost effecient. Why isnt this the case? Our union hires advisors that rate programs but I have always said an advisor is someone who cant do it so they have to talk about it. If I were top notch businessman, I would be making my own deals, not advising someone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I think you guys are misinformed....Once a retiree becomes Medicare eligible, Ford is only the supplemental insurer....we do go on Medicare. Our ford insurance is our secondary insurance. I think what was proposed was that Ford wouldn't provide the supplemental insurance anymore and would reimburse us x amount to get your own supplement..... Our union said NO and rightly so in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatso Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) In all fairness the retirees being part of the cost structure used in determining the current workers expense to the company could have kicked in something.Say $30 a month.It might of saved us a Company paid Holiday.The current workers are entirely where the cost savings will be made.The smiles have been slapped off my face for years.Here is what my participation in these concessions will be;work Fri.,Sat.,Sun.,Mon., all 12 hour days paid 11.5 for straight time only since this is my scheduled work week and it consists of less than 40 hours.Take a physical and have the Company policies carry over into my personal life or pay a monthly fine.I am voting NO!If the UAW can do no better I say throw em out!Start a new union.I can do whatever the company tells me to on my own. Edited February 26, 2009 by Fatso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longball Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 The retirees DO pay $22 a month for health care....just the begining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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