THE NEW CORPRATE THUG!

[biggtone]

Never thought I would see the day when our own appointed IUAW represenatives would walk into our plants and use scare tactics, whipsawing and strong arming to try and get a vote passed, I have personally witnessed international union reps threatening that our products will get sent out of country, sent to other plants or the plant will be shut down if you do not vote yes. Are'nt most of these commitments binding under the 2007 CBA??

Isnt this the same tactics that Walter Ruether fought against?

 

Do they think we are that ignorant when they sent Joe Hinrich into the plants to tell us that our quality is sub standard and that Ford really isnt in good shape right now and that Ford will probably have to ask for more CONCESSIONS, then 2 weeks later, guess what...we have a modification agreement that needs to be ratified..hmmm

 

now for some truth...

http://www.freep.com/article/20091028/BUSI...d--world-class-

 

Its bad enough that the company will try and undermind you, but now the IUAW, who is so far out of touch with the working people on the floor, is trying desperatly to use fear as a weapon to get the votes they need. These are people that negotiate a seperate contract for themselves that is far superior than ours, one that includes second pensions, car allowances, gas cards,paid car insurance,cell phones,expense accounts,and seperate benefits. Who do they negotiate against on this seperate contract? Who sits on the other side of the table on this? And they want to take more from us?! Am I out here alone or do you find this insulting? I think the IUAW is doing more to destroy the Union right now and divide the membership than what the company has been able to accomplish in 50 years! Brothers and Sisters, its time we take measures to take our Union back! When this is over the real fight has just begun.

Edited October 29, 2009 by biggtone

[Die Wahrheit]

Never thought I would see the day when our own appointed IUAW represenatives would walk into our plants and use scare tactics, whipsawing and strong arming to try and get a vote passed, I have personally witnessed international union reps threatening that our products will get sent out of country, sent to other plants or the plant will be shut down if you do not vote yes. Are'nt most of these commitments binding under the 2007 CBA??

Isnt this the same tactics that Walter Ruether fought against?

 

Do they think we are that ignorant when they sent Joe Hinrich into the plants to tell us that our quality is sub standard and that Ford really isnt in good shape right now and that Ford will probably have to ask for more CONCESSIONS, then 2 weeks later, guess what...we have a modification agreement that needs to be ratified..hmmm

 

now for some truth...

http://www.freep.com/article/20091028/BUSI...d--world-class-

 

Its bad enough that the company will try and undermind you, but now the IUAW, who is so far out of touch with the working people on the floor, is trying desperatly to use fear as a weapon to get the votes they need. These are people that negotiate a seperate contract for themselves that is far superior than ours, one that includes second pensions, car allowances, gas cards,paid car insurance,cell phones,expense accounts,and seperate benefits. Who do they negotiate against on this seperate contract? Who sits on the other side of the table on this? And they want to take more from us?! Am I out here alone or do you find this insulting? I think the IUAW is doing more to destroy the Union right now and divide the membership than what the company has been able to accomplish in 50 years! Brothers and Sisters, its time we take measures to take our Union back! When this is over the real fight has just begun.

 

Vote Yes I am!

[danehilby]

Never thought I would see the day when our own appointed IUAW represenatives would walk into our plants and use scare tactics, whipsawing and strong arming to try and get a vote passed, I have personally witnessed international union reps threatening that our products will get sent out of country, sent to other plants or the plant will be shut down if you do not vote yes. Are'nt most of these commitments binding under the 2007 CBA??

Isnt this the same tactics that Walter Ruether fought against?

 

Do they think we are that ignorant when they sent Joe Hinrich into the plants to tell us that our quality is sub standard and that Ford really isnt in good shape right now and that Ford will probably have to ask for more CONCESSIONS, then 2 weeks later, guess what...we have a modification agreement that needs to be ratified..hmmm

 

now for some truth...

http://www.freep.com/article/20091028/BUSI...d--world-class-

 

Its bad enough that the company will try and undermind you, but now the IUAW, who is so far out of touch with the working people on the floor, is trying desperatly to use fear as a weapon to get the votes they need. These are people that negotiate a seperate contract for themselves that is far superior than ours, one that includes second pensions, car allowances, gas cards,paid car insurance,cell phones,expense accounts,and seperate benefits. Who do they negotiate against on this seperate contract? Who sits on the other side of the table on this? And they want to take more from us?! Am I out here alone or do you find this insulting? I think the IUAW is doing more to destroy the Union right now and divide the membership than what the company has been able to accomplish in 50 years! Brothers and Sisters, its time we take measures to take our Union back! When this is over the real fight has just begun.

 

AGIAN and AGAIN and AGAIN I tell you, everything has to do with the FACT that UAW VEBA owns 17.5% of GM and a whopping 67% of Chrysler. THEY NO LONGER REPRESENT THE COMMON WORKER, THEY REPRESENT VEBA!!!!

 

By the way, anyone have the answer to what happens to all that VEBA money if OBAMACARE passes? Does it go to GOV, to the retirees, to us, to the IUAW????

Edited October 29, 2009 by danehilby

[3rdgenfordworker]

Never thought I would see the day when our own appointed IUAW represenatives would walk into our plants and use scare tactics, whipsawing and strong arming to try and get a vote passed, I have personally witnessed international union reps threatening that our products will get sent out of country, sent to other plants or the plant will be shut down if you do not vote yes. Are'nt most of these commitments binding under the 2007 CBA??

Isnt this the same tactics that Walter Ruether fought against?

 

Do they think we are that ignorant when they sent Joe Hinrich into the plants to tell us that our quality is sub standard and that Ford really isnt in good shape right now and that Ford will probably have to ask for more CONCESSIONS, then 2 weeks later, guess what...we have a modification agreement that needs to be ratified..hmmm

 

now for some truth...

http://www.freep.com/article/20091028/BUSI...d--world-class-

 

Its bad enough that the company will try and undermind you, but now the IUAW, who is so far out of touch with the working people on the floor, is trying desperatly to use fear as a weapon to get the votes they need. These are people that negotiate a seperate contract for themselves that is far superior than ours, one that includes second pensions, car allowances, gas cards,paid car insurance,cell phones,expense accounts,and seperate benefits. Who do they negotiate against on this seperate contract? Who sits on the other side of the table on this? And they want to take more from us?! Am I out here alone or do you find this insulting? I think the IUAW is doing more to destroy the Union right now and divide the membership than what the company has been able to accomplish in 50 years! Brothers and Sisters, its time we take measures to take our Union back! When this is over the real fight has just begun.

 

 

Come to Indy and tell me the company won't pull your work out. The company is in the driver's seat right now and that's just the way it is. My dad worked for 38 years and my grandfather was an original Rouge organizer. Both said you have to be smart enough to understand that there's a time to talk and a time to listen. People need to stop thinking that the UAW runs the show because we don't. We need Ford to succeed in order for us to prosper. You can't have one without the other.

[biggtone]

Come to Indy and tell me the company won't pull your work out. The company is in the driver's seat right now and that's just the way it is. My dad worked for 38 years and my grandfather was an original Rouge organizer. Both said you have to be smart enough to understand that there's a time to talk and a time to listen. People need to stop thinking that the UAW runs the show because we don't. We need Ford to succeed in order for us to prosper. You can't have one without the other.

 

 

go sit in the corner and let the real men fight this fight

[tincup2b]

Come to Indy and tell me the company won't pull your work out. The company is in the driver's seat right now and that's just the way it is. My dad worked for 38 years and my grandfather was an original Rouge organizer. Both said you have to be smart enough to understand that there's a time to talk and a time to listen. People need to stop thinking that the UAW runs the show because we don't. We need Ford to succeed in order for us to prosper. You can't have one without the other.

I couldn't agree with you more on your time to talk and a time to listen point! That is if you mean "IT'S TIME FOR THE IUAW TO LISTEN" to the membership. NO more concessions. Yes, Ford has debt but so do most large companies. Earlier this year Ford raised 1.4Billion dollars by selling additional common stock. Get ready for them to make another offering in the near future. They will most likely raise another 1-2 Billion and use this to convert some of their higher %rate debt to new lower %rate debt. The analyst will then raise Fords credit rating by at least 2 nothches which will save them millions per year in interest alone. That will in turn raise the stock price and they will then make half of their Veba payment to the UAW with stock and the other half with cash. All in all Ford is heading int he right direction as a company which is more than the other two US auto companies can say.

[0824sgt]

Uhhhhmmm!!! NO!! Im good where im at!! Let the cards fall where they may!!!

[Spring]

This is the leaflet I published and distributed throughout the plant today. I gave the elected leadership plenty of opportunity to take a stand one way or another on this but when they failed to act I thought someone had to!

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters of UAW Local 2000,

 

Saturday, October 31, 2009, is a very important day for us. It is the day that we go to the polls to vote on “modifications” to the modifications of the 2007 National Agreement. As most of you know, I prefer plain speaking, so let’s just call them for what they are! CONCESSIONS! A SELL OUT! A BETRAYAL! A betrayal of the worst sort from our own International Union!

 

As union members, we really only have two things of any great importance that are ours by right. Our seniority and our right to strike! Our seniority is not up for sale…yet! But our right to strike is! Although we have not utilized that right since 1976, it is still our right and one of the few things that makes the company take us seriously! But our IUAW has chosen to cheapen our right to strike by offering the arbitration on wages and benefits. They must think that we are incredibly stupid! We know we can’t strike over wages and benefits and in this economic climate, which of us would? Although we may not choose to implement that right to strike, it is still our right! And the very entity that is supposed to protect us and our rights would seek to take it away from us or weaken it as such to make it moot. Arbitration is a stall tactic! If there would be a disagreement on wages and benefits that the parties could not come to agreement on, the matter would then go to arbitration per the language in the proposed “modification”. Until such a time as it would EVENTUALLY come before the arbitrator (anyone care to bet on how long it would be continued and extended?) no other actions could be taken that would put the company at an economic disadvantage (the IUAW’s words and proposal, not mine) thereby by rendering our ability to strike on ANYTHING, including Health and Safety, crippled! In speaking with the IUAW representatives down at the plant trying to sell us a bill of goods, they admitted that this was THEIR idea! It was proposed by the UAW attorneys. First of all, I say, get new attorneys! And if these were the people presenting our case to the arbitrator, we wouldn’t stand a snowballs chance in hell of prevailing! Furthermore, in looking at arbitration cases in the past, the union wins very few of these and as long as the company owes any money to any banks or other creditors, the arbitrator is going to find in favor of the company! Statistics support this! And what do they want to give us in return? A paltry $1,000 or our profit sharing, whichever is greater. This only goes to show the utter contempt they apparently have for the rank and file! My self respect and integrity is not for sale! Neither is my right to strike!

 

On to more fun things! The cap on the 20% for new hires removed and their lower tier wages frozen for 6 years (until 2015). Now they’ve really got something that piqued the company’s interest! At 20%, they would have to hire approximately 9,000 people to reach that. Anything above 20% would require the company, by seniority to move the lower waged employees to master wages so that they remained at 20%. HOWEVER, if they were to get this provision and there’s no cap, there would probably be another buyout to get rid of the higher waged employees. After that, how long before the company would start taking steps to shedding themselves of the higher waged employees by any means necessary. YOU DO THE MATH! $28.00 vs $14.00 per hour? The company is counting the money right now! Think it couldn’t happen? If I thought of it, do you really think that someone in the company hasn’t thought of it?

 

What was this all brought on by? PATTERN BARGAINING! The IUAW has proven themselves time and again to be narrow and closed minded in their thinking and of being reactionary rather than proactive and they are totally removed from the needs of the rank and file membership. They caught a bit of flak from the GM and Chrysler folks so they, themselves, decided that they needed “parity” in the Pattern Bargaining. How do you reach parity in comparing apples to oranges I ask you? GM and Chrysler are essentially on welfare with the bridge loans while we at Ford have remained self sufficient. GM and Chrysler had no choice other than to accept those conditions and government control as condition of receiving the bridge loans. We remain independent. Therefore there is no parity as there is no comparison. But the IUAW totally freaked out at the thought of not having PATTERN BARGAINING! Pattern Bargaining is an antiquated notion resultant of narrow minded, inept representation as has been evidenced by the IUAW. To do otherwise would mean that they would have to come into the plants they have sought so hard to remove themselves from and interact with the membership and find out what their needs were! How often do you actually see a representative from the Region or the International? Even at a union meeting? Only when they want to use us as a means to ratification!

 

This is unsupportable! At the March 2009 modification meeting we were told that the company wouldn’t be coming back asking for more! This was it, their one time shot! We were also told of our new product commitment at that time! Hell, we’re still waiting on that new body shop we were originally promised! And this time? Oh, they recognize the need to find new product for OHAP! Did they lie to us when they said that? Or did they just mislead us when they said that? Let’s see, we got the promises in 2007 and March of 2009. Here we are in October of 2009 and they’re back again with their hand out and dangling that carrot of new product in front of us. And we’re supposed to take them at their word. Haven’t they ever heard of “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”? To that end, I urge you to come out and vote on Saturday at Southview High School in Lorain. The polls open at 10:00 a.m. with an “informational” meeting starting at 11:00 a.m. There will also be a tailgate VOTE NO rally starting at 9:00 a.m.! At this time, I’d like to quote Alan Mulally and his words to Congress when asked about his compensation, “I’m good where I’m at”. Well so are we!

 

In Solidarity,

 

 

Mary “Spring” Springowski

[fmccap]

Vote Yes I am!

Not that it matters because it's going down at least I got to cancel your vote out.

[jsh0071]

you know we kissed their asses last time and lost alot to protect our jobs. Now they are making money and giving bonuses and we have to give more?

 

I'm done begging and hoping to get the scraps. They treat us like partners or "no thanks. I'm good where i'm at."

 

Time to act like you have a pair.

 

Chomsky is a brainless asshole !!!

[MTP_UAW]

This is the leaflet I published and distributed throughout the plant today. I gave the elected leadership plenty of opportunity to take a stand one way or another on this but when they failed to act I thought someone had to!

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters of UAW Local 2000,

 

Saturday, October 31, 2009, is a very important day for us. It is the day that we go to the polls to vote on “modifications” to the modifications of the 2007 National Agreement. As most of you know, I prefer plain speaking, so let’s just call them for what they are! CONCESSIONS! A SELL OUT! A BETRAYAL! A betrayal of the worst sort from our own International Union!

 

As union members, we really only have two things of any great importance that are ours by right. Our seniority and our right to strike! Our seniority is not up for sale…yet! But our right to strike is! Although we have not utilized that right since 1976, it is still our right and one of the few things that makes the company take us seriously! But our IUAW has chosen to cheapen our right to strike by offering the arbitration on wages and benefits. They must think that we are incredibly stupid! We know we can’t strike over wages and benefits and in this economic climate, which of us would? Although we may not choose to implement that right to strike, it is still our right! And the very entity that is supposed to protect us and our rights would seek to take it away from us or weaken it as such to make it moot. Arbitration is a stall tactic! If there would be a disagreement on wages and benefits that the parties could not come to agreement on, the matter would then go to arbitration per the language in the proposed “modification”. Until such a time as it would EVENTUALLY come before the arbitrator (anyone care to bet on how long it would be continued and extended?) no other actions could be taken that would put the company at an economic disadvantage (the IUAW’s words and proposal, not mine) thereby by rendering our ability to strike on ANYTHING, including Health and Safety, crippled! In speaking with the IUAW representatives down at the plant trying to sell us a bill of goods, they admitted that this was THEIR idea! It was proposed by the UAW attorneys. First of all, I say, get new attorneys! And if these were the people presenting our case to the arbitrator, we wouldn’t stand a snowballs chance in hell of prevailing! Furthermore, in looking at arbitration cases in the past, the union wins very few of these and as long as the company owes any money to any banks or other creditors, the arbitrator is going to find in favor of the company! Statistics support this! And what do they want to give us in return? A paltry $1,000 or our profit sharing, whichever is greater. This only goes to show the utter contempt they apparently have for the rank and file! My self respect and integrity is not for sale! Neither is my right to strike!

 

On to more fun things! The cap on the 20% for new hires removed and their lower tier wages frozen for 6 years (until 2015). Now they’ve really got something that piqued the company’s interest! At 20%, they would have to hire approximately 9,000 people to reach that. Anything above 20% would require the company, by seniority to move the lower waged employees to master wages so that they remained at 20%. HOWEVER, if they were to get this provision and there’s no cap, there would probably be another buyout to get rid of the higher waged employees. After that, how long before the company would start taking steps to shedding themselves of the higher waged employees by any means necessary. YOU DO THE MATH! $28.00 vs $14.00 per hour? The company is counting the money right now! Think it couldn’t happen? If I thought of it, do you really think that someone in the company hasn’t thought of it?

 

What was this all brought on by? PATTERN BARGAINING! The IUAW has proven themselves time and again to be narrow and closed minded in their thinking and of being reactionary rather than proactive and they are totally removed from the needs of the rank and file membership. They caught a bit of flak from the GM and Chrysler folks so they, themselves, decided that they needed “parity” in the Pattern Bargaining. How do you reach parity in comparing apples to oranges I ask you? GM and Chrysler are essentially on welfare with the bridge loans while we at Ford have remained self sufficient. GM and Chrysler had no choice other than to accept those conditions and government control as condition of receiving the bridge loans. We remain independent. Therefore there is no parity as there is no comparison. But the IUAW totally freaked out at the thought of not having PATTERN BARGAINING! Pattern Bargaining is an antiquated notion resultant of narrow minded, inept representation as has been evidenced by the IUAW. To do otherwise would mean that they would have to come into the plants they have sought so hard to remove themselves from and interact with the membership and find out what their needs were! How often do you actually see a representative from the Region or the International? Even at a union meeting? Only when they want to use us as a means to ratification!

 

This is unsupportable! At the March 2009 modification meeting we were told that the company wouldn’t be coming back asking for more! This was it, their one time shot! We were also told of our new product commitment at that time! Hell, we’re still waiting on that new body shop we were originally promised! And this time? Oh, they recognize the need to find new product for OHAP! Did they lie to us when they said that? Or did they just mislead us when they said that? Let’s see, we got the promises in 2007 and March of 2009. Here we are in October of 2009 and they’re back again with their hand out and dangling that carrot of new product in front of us. And we’re supposed to take them at their word. Haven’t they ever heard of “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”? To that end, I urge you to come out and vote on Saturday at Southview High School in Lorain. The polls open at 10:00 a.m. with an “informational” meeting starting at 11:00 a.m. There will also be a tailgate VOTE NO rally starting at 9:00 a.m.! At this time, I’d like to quote Alan Mulally and his words to Congress when asked about his compensation, “I’m good where I’m at”. Well so are we!

 

In Solidarity,

 

 

Mary “Spring” Springowski

 

 

A very good and well put letter, Spring.

[Captain723]

Vote Yes I am!

Get out of here fk stick!

[Captain723]

AGIAN and AGAIN and AGAIN I tell you, everything has to do with the FACT that UAW VEBA owns 17.5% of GM and a whopping 67% of Chrysler. THEY NO LONGER REPRESENT THE COMMON WORKER, THEY REPRESENT VEBA!!!!

 

By the way, anyone have the answer to what happens to all that VEBA money if OBAMACARE passes? Does it go to GOV, to the retirees, to us, to the IUAW????

The money is strictly for retiree health care! Period! If we get national health care, this just assures our retirees better health care! As far as the Veba goes, I think we should do everything we can to help our retirees to keep their health care coverage!

[Captain723]

Uhhhhmmm!!! NO!! Im good where im at!! Let the cards fall where they may!!!

That saying will never go away until that fk is out of here. Come on JR get rid of him and get in the driver seat again until you Henry can take the reigns! :shades:

[Captain723]

Never thought I would see the day when our own appointed IUAW represenatives would walk into our plants and use scare tactics, whipsawing and strong arming to try and get a vote passed, I have personally witnessed international union reps threatening that our products will get sent out of country, sent to other plants or the plant will be shut down if you do not vote yes. Are'nt most of these commitments binding under the 2007 CBA??

Isnt this the same tactics that Walter Ruether fought against?

 

Do they think we are that ignorant when they sent Joe Hinrich into the plants to tell us that our quality is sub standard and that Ford really isnt in good shape right now and that Ford will probably have to ask for more CONCESSIONS, then 2 weeks later, guess what...we have a modification agreement that needs to be ratified..hmmm

 

now for some truth...

http://www.freep.com/article/20091028/BUSI...d--world-class-

 

Its bad enough that the company will try and undermind you, but now the IUAW, who is so far out of touch with the working people on the floor, is trying desperatly to use fear as a weapon to get the votes they need. These are people that negotiate a seperate contract for themselves that is far superior than ours, one that includes second pensions, car allowances, gas cards,paid car insurance,cell phones,expense accounts,and seperate benefits. Who do they negotiate against on this seperate contract? Who sits on the other side of the table on this? And they want to take more from us?! Am I out here alone or do you find this insulting? I think the IUAW is doing more to destroy the Union right now and divide the membership than what the company has been able to accomplish in 50 years! Brothers and Sisters, its time we take measures to take our Union back! When this is over the real fight has just begun.

Just curious to whom you are talking about?

[lquidspine]

Just curious to whom you are talking about?

Give me a list of the ones that where at his plant and I will say ...yup those are the ones he is talking about.

 

By the way Captain think Bob will get me that letter outlining the arbitration rules and timetable he said their was ?

 

Its only been 8 days now and I still have not seen it.... let me guess after the votes huh ?

Edited October 30, 2009 by lquidspine

[0824sgt]

That saying will never go away until that fk is out of here. Come on JR get rid of him and get in the driver seat again until you Henry can take the reigns! :shades:

 

Its Ironic that we get our battlecries from the 2 at the top of the union and Ford!! "im good where im at" and " The race to the bottom!" Kinda backfiring on them now!!!

So Mulally, like you im good where im at :happy feet: , and Gettlefinger, why are you aiding and abetting the race to the bottom??? :chairshot:

[ReDemption]

Captain, you don’t believe that they are using scare tactics? How about telling an appointed Union Rep he must support it or be removed. That he had to do it by putting out a flyer in his plant?

 

Would you call that scare tactics? Would you call that strong arming?

 

Just curious

[danehilby]

Captain, you don’t believe that they are using scare tactics? How about telling an appointed Union Rep he must support it or be removed. That he had to do it by putting out a flyer in his plant?

 

Would you call that scare tactics? Would you call that strong arming?

 

Just curious

 

Agreed!! One of the most outspoken people in our plant is all of a sudden for this, head over heals. I asked him, "Isn't it true that IUAW told you to push the YES vote?"

 

He said, "Yes, but I am for it anyway"

 

Man, whatever IUAW said put the SCARE into him!!!!!!

[Captain723]

Give me a list of the ones that where at his plant and I will say ...yup those are the ones he is talking about.

 

By the way Captain think Bob will get me that letter outlining the arbitration rules and timetable he said their was ?

 

Its only been 8 days now and I still have not seen it.... let me guess after the votes huh ?

Actually seen the time, so yes, if you see one of those presenting, they should have the time line! Not sure, but I want to say it was 90 days prior to end of contract to decide on arbitrator and then 30 days to hear and 30 days to get decisions? I will try and verify or scan the letter if I can get a copy!

[Captain723]

Agreed!! One of the most outspoken people in our plant is all of a sudden for this, head over heals. I asked him, "Isn't it true that IUAW told you to push the YES vote?"

 

He said, "Yes, but I am for it anyway"

 

Man, whatever IUAW said put the SCARE into him!!!!!!

If he is nationally appointed then that is no scare tactic, he could be removed. Just like nationally appointed reps are not allowed to get into local politics or they will could be removed!

[jerrymaker]

Come to Indy and tell me the company won't pull your work out. The company is in the driver's seat right now and that's just the way it is. My dad worked for 38 years and my grandfather was an original Rouge organizer. Both said you have to be smart enough to understand that there's a time to talk and a time to listen. People need to stop thinking that the UAW runs the show because we don't. We need Ford to succeed in order for us to prosper. You can't have one without the other.

 

Doing the right thing is never eazy. Your grandfather fought hard for the worker. We have to stand up and fight or else they will run all over us. Yes we could lose our jobs, but like i said we need to stand and do the right thing.

[0824sgt]

It would be nice if one of these appointees would stand up and say, " Cram your Appointment, i'll go back to the floor where I came from cause I do not support this modification and Im not scared to actually go back and do my real job!!!!"! Just seems like that would be real leadership and show me who I would vote for in the next election!! Sadly though all of them had to go around and push a yes vote but mumble "im not really for it!!" God forbid they would have to go back to work like the rest of us and be treated like shit by these new era bosses!!! I wish I had the chance to tell some IUAW rep to cram the modification and this appointed job right up their ass!! And I wouldnt be doin it for votes in the next election either, it would be done out of principle because I DONT SUPPORT IT!!!!!!!

[ReDemption]

Captain – I’m not an International Appointee. I’m locally appointed as a UAW pm planner. So now do you consider it scare tactics?

 

0824sgt - Not all appointees (local) let their appointment sway their decisions. Below is the letter I put out on the floor.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters

 

I, Jeff Hodges, was told that I had to put out a flyer supporting this contract modification proposal. That without it I’ll be removed from my Union position. My position as a pm planner will never change my opinion and if removed because of it, I fully understand.

 

I cannot and do not support these modifications. I will not tell you how to vote, nor have I ever. I believe that you’re all grown men and women and should vote off your personal convictions not someone else’s.

 

My reasons:

• I can not support the binding arbitrator language.

• I will not ever agree to give up our right to strike.

• I do not support the 2nd tier wage agreement. We earn every penny we’re paid regardless of when hired.

• I don’t support the mechanical tradesmen language of being reduced to teams at the other plants. This means more lost jobs and fewer

apprenticeships.

• I have issues with contracts listing words like “Such As”, “May”, or “Possible”. They are language intent trump words.

• I don’t believe they are being truthful with product life cycle guarantees. Product guarantees are dictated by product sales and can be

amended at any time for lack of.

• I don’t agree to accepting concessions when our company is gaining market share, opening plants in other countries, stock value rising,

and posting 2 quarters of profitability with a forecasted 3rd quarter profit.

 

You’ll hear that this modification is only pattern bargaining and that it has always worked for the Union. That’s not entirely true. Pattern bargaining is only as strong as its weakest link. These attempted modifications prove my point.

 

I understand that my opinion might upset some people, the truth often does, but I’m of the belief that we still live in a democracy and we have that right. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you understand my position.

 

 

Sincerely

Jeff Hodges

UAW Local 3000

[snoopy]

Captain – I’m not an International Appointee. I’m locally appointed as a UAW pm planner. So now do you consider it scare tactics?

 

0824sgt - Not all appointees (local) let their appointment sway their decisions. Below is the letter I put out on the floor.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters

 

I, Jeff Hodges, was told that I had to put out a flyer supporting this contract modification proposal. That without it I’ll be removed from my Union position. My position as a pm planner will never change my opinion and if removed because of it, I fully understand.

 

I cannot and do not support these modifications. I will not tell you how to vote, nor have I ever. I believe that you’re all grown men and women and should vote off your personal convictions not someone else’s.

 

My reasons:

• I can not support the binding arbitrator language.

• I will not ever agree to give up our right to strike.

• I do not support the 2nd tier wage agreement. We earn every penny we’re paid regardless of when hired.

• I don’t support the mechanical tradesmen language of being reduced to teams at the other plants. This means more lost jobs and fewer

apprenticeships.

• I have issues with contracts listing words like “Such As”, “May”, or “Possible”. They are language intent trump words.

• I don’t believe they are being truthful with product life cycle guarantees. Product guarantees are dictated by product sales and can be

amended at any time for lack of.

• I don’t agree to accepting concessions when our company is gaining market share, opening plants in other countries, stock value rising,

and posting 2 quarters of profitability with a forecasted 3rd quarter profit.

 

You’ll hear that this modification is only pattern bargaining and that it has always worked for the Union. That’s not entirely true. Pattern bargaining is only as strong as its weakest link. These attempted modifications prove my point.

 

I understand that my opinion might upset some people, the truth often does, but I’m of the belief that we still live in a democracy and we have that right. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you understand my position.

 

 

Sincerely

Jeff Hodges

UAW Local 3000

 

 

 

Way to go Jeff. I support your candor. Now Step up all you Mumblers. Or say your scared if your scared. Most are cowards.