Let the games bigin!!!

[Bird48]

Well, I don't have a million years seniority and I'm not retired, but in my lowly 13 years @ Ford, you bet your ass I've seen people pass out from the heat. No, they didn't DIE, but the fact that people have, and no doubt continue to suffer from heat exhaustion in the plants, in some cases indeed DO drop and passout, shows that certain aspects of working the line haven't changed from 30-odd years ago to today. Anyone who works the line, realizes that a hoist, some sort of electric or pneumatic assist, just means they can cram more wok onto your job. Back in the day, if you were muscling a wheel onto it's lugs, or a door onto it's hinges, meant you had your hands full and they couldn't add more work to your job. Now, if you have a hoist to help you, the bastards are watching you like a hawk, looking for ways to add shit to your job. Of course, if you're retired, you don't know that.

 

Hey listen do you think Ford Motor Company is the only factory out there, I have worked in many and I must say Ford has been the best and the most generous all the way around eg wages and benefits. I don't think anyone who reads this can argue that point. Many work stations have 2,3,4 and even up to 6 large fans in each work station which can be adjusted to suit us in one to two nights. This is reality, Ford has made every effort to try to make us as conformable as possible, it is production work and it is hard and boring,no dote about it. But by adjusting the work elements of our jobs have made the company more competitive in the global market,Which in turn has given us our wages and benefits that we have today. (So Far) If you want to send a message to Ford that we in North America I don't want concessions, STOP buying Foreign cars as we all know but also STOP buying Ford's which are made in Mexico such as the Fusion. This makes no sense that we support business practices in that Country. I realize that are still part of the North American Trade Agreement but at 4 - 5 dollars per hour if we were in business for our selves(example we owned and operated Ford) and we could build a unit for a quarter of the cost down there we all would because it increases our cash flow. The issue is does Mexico support the US or Canada and the answer is NO because they can't because of their wages.

 

The bottom line is if you don't want concessions still work as hard as always but stop buying products built in Mexico or over seas.

[Ranger4.0]

Hey listen do you think Ford Motor Company is the only factory out there, I have worked in many and I must say Ford has been the best and the most generous all the way around eg wages and benefits. I don't think anyone who reads this can argue that point. Many work stations have 2,3,4 and even up to 6 large fans in each work station which can be adjusted to suit us in one to two nights. This is reality, Ford has made every effort to try to make us as conformable as possible, it is production work and it is hard and boring,no dote about it. But by adjusting the work elements of our jobs have made the company more competitive in the global market,Which in turn has given us our wages and benefits that we have today. (So Far) If you want to send a message to Ford that we in North America I don't want concessions, STOP buying Foreign cars as we all know but also STOP buying Ford's which are made in Mexico such as the Fusion. This makes no sense that we support business practices in that Country. I realize that are still part of the North American Trade Agreement but at 4 - 5 dollars per hour if we were in business for our selves(example we owned and operated Ford) and we could build a unit for a quarter of the cost down there we all would because it increases our cash flow. The issue is does Mexico support the US or Canada and the answer is NO because they can't because of their wages.

 

The bottom line is if you don't want concessions still work as hard as always but stop buying products built in Mexico or over seas.

[Ranger4.0]

Hey listen do you think Ford Motor Company is the only factory out there, I have worked in many and I must say Ford has been the best and the most generous all the way around eg wages and benefits. I don't think anyone who reads this can argue that point. Many work stations have 2,3,4 and even up to 6 large fans in each work station which can be adjusted to suit us in one to two nights. This is reality, Ford has made every effort to try to make us as conformable as possible, it is production work and it is hard and boring,no dote about it. But by adjusting the work elements of our jobs have made the company more competitive in the global market,Which in turn has given us our wages and benefits that we have today. (So Far) If you want to send a message to Ford that we in North America I don't want concessions, STOP buying Foreign cars as we all know but also STOP buying Ford's which are made in Mexico such as the Fusion. This makes no sense that we support business practices in that Country. I realize that are still part of the North American Trade Agreement but at 4 - 5 dollars per hour if we were in business for our selves(example we owned and operated Ford) and we could build a unit for a quarter of the cost down there we all would because it increases our cash flow. The issue is does Mexico support the US or Canada and the answer is NO because they can't because of their wages.

 

The bottom line is if you don't want concessions still work as hard as always but stop buying products built in Mexico or over seas.

 

 

I'm not sure what all that has to do with my post....I certainly never condoned purchasing Mexican built Fords. I merely wanted to point out that certaon aspects, such as heat, have not changed from 30-odd years ago to today. You mentioned fans. Fans are unheared of at Dearborn Truck. Parts of DTP, are not affected by the rudimentay air conditioning equipmemt they have. Parts of trim, parts of the frame lines and engine line, recieve no effect from the crude A/C equipment. Heat, in these areas, matches, or is wose than, heat in plants equipped with fans. Yet, we have no fans.

[GoldenBlade]

WTF do all of these posts have to do with the fact that STAP has had their $1700 bonus put on hold?

 

BTW, your $1700 bonus will be paid out in August. Don't spend it til you get it!

Edited June 28, 2009 by GoldenBlade

[feegsit]

Again napfirst if it wasn't for the UAWs failure in the 80's,the CAW wouldn't have needed to break away from the UAW to get the proper recognition for Canadian autoworkers.The CAW is a far better union than the UAW is,at least up until now.See the UAW adopted the 2 tier wage system and sold out,the UAW will not stand up and fight back which is forcing the CAW to adopt concessions also.The company is pitting union vs. union now to gain even more concessions.The cycle will not stop until the UAW fights back and says "enough is enough." You don't need to remind me who pays my wages,and it is vital that Ford survives for everyone to get a pay check. I'm not sure when you suddenly turned on fellow union members,but you have. Ford started the restructuring 3 years before the other 2 companies.Ford will not file for bankruptcy forcing the Ford family to lose their shares in this company.Ford now has the opportunity and capacity to build as many vehicles per year that they did at previous maximums,with only one third of the work force.Who do you suppose is picking up the slack?It's the remaining employees that have to work harder to tighter scheduling.The trickle down effect of non-stop concessions within the auto industry hurts everyone in every sector of the economy.I think we can all agree that we are paid and compensated well,that is why we accept wage freezes 3-4 years into the future without knowing inflationary pressures.If Ford could have their way we would all be making $14/hr like the 2 tier workers.The economy will eventually get better and things within the company will thrive once again.Until then, we must stop the back peddling.You call it whining or bitching because you aren't having to go through it at this point.A little support from retirees like yourself could go a long way,but all you are concerned about is you.You have left the industry but you want us to suffer for you.If you can still remember what assembly line work is like then you would be able to understand how some of us feel.

The concession cycle will not end, until BOTH the UAW/CAW in a JOINT effort put their foot down. You can't blame all this on either union. One is weak without the other! Ford wants parity with GM/Chrysler without having to file bankruptcy. It will never happen. GM/Chrysler will always have the edge because of this. The Ford family wants we workers to protect THEIR legacy! With bankruptcy there is no legacy. In the end, the FAMILY will have their legacy, and we the workers will have nothing. Time for BOTH unions to tell the company " NO more concessions."