If this contract passes!

[Nana]

If the spineless members of our union ratify this shitty contract,they will also be the first sorry asses to cry about whats in it. Read the agreement before you vote!!!! It is embarressing to me that our bargaining skilled leadership presented this agreement to the membership. WAKE UP WHIMPIES ,OPEN YOUR EYES,SOLIDARITY FOREVER

[dividedwebeg]

sorry asses to cry

 

Looks like thats what we will be doing when we are locked out and lose product if we ever get back to work

[oap2ktpvet]

It could go either way lots of time left til voting ends. I will be voting no and hope it fails. If it passes then that's the path my brothers and sisters choose I will follow. The scare tactics and games on this board have reached silly proportions. It;s your vote yes or no .don't be bullied or bullshitted into voting differently.

Edited October 13, 2011 by oap2ktpvet

[Nana]

It could go either way lots of time left til voting ends. I will be voting no and hope it fails. If it passes then that's the path my brothers and sisters choose I will follow. The scare tactics and games on this board have reached silly proportions. It;s your vote yes or no .don't be bullied or bullshitted into voting differently.

I can appreciate your honesty,voting is not only an honor it is a responsability.How do the younger members think we got to the pay level we are currently at? The older members (the retirees that the company and union are trying to f***) stood strong and steady. The company and our weakass union leaders are counting on a weak membership.So I agree with you,DON'T BE BULLIED AND STAND STRONG AND FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND FAIR FOR OUR HARD WORKING MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SACRIFICED SO MUCH!!!!!

[povertyknob]

I can appreciate your honesty,voting is not only an honor it is a responsability.How do the younger members think we got to the pay level we are currently at? The older members (the retirees that the company and union are trying to f***) stood strong and steady. The company and our weakass union leaders are counting on a weak membership.So I agree with you,DON'T BE BULLIED AND STAND STRONG AND FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND FAIR FOR OUR HARD WORKING MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SACRIFICED SO MUCH!!!!!

How are retirees getting harmed in the tentative contract?

[lquidspine]

they are losing money. Comeon son read.

Really , please I missed that portion besides Christmas bonus. Can you point me to the correct page numbers that include the cuts they are getting with this ?

 

While I would agree they gained nothing in this deal they have not had anything taken from them other than the already mentioned Christmas bonus, just as traditional employees they are staying were they are.

 

Dont just make statements tell me where in the contract and I will read it for myself, because what I have already mentioned I have come accrossed nothing else that has changed.

Edited October 13, 2011 by lquidspine

[chessman]

If the spineless members of our union ratify this shitty contract,they will also be the first sorry asses to cry about whats in it. Read the agreement before you vote!!!! It is embarressing to me that our bargaining skilled leadership presented this agreement to the membership. WAKE UP WHIMPIES ,OPEN YOUR EYES,SOLIDARITY FOREVER

 

what you dont like about the contract

[hdw1]

One of the first things many of you have to learn is when to go for the pie in the sky contract and when not to. I just saw an article that showed the profits and losses by quarter for Ford From 2007 till 2011. If you add up the losses and add up the profits what you get is the company has not earned enough profit to offset the the losses in that time frame. You also have to open up your eyes and look around and see that we are not an island unto our selves. There are still about 9.8% of Americans out of work. In this type of economy you shouldn't be bitching about the size of the gift horse, you should be very happy that you have the gift horse in the first place. For those that are so stupid that you can not figure that out I am talking about it is a good paying job.

 

When the economy was in the tank in the 1980's the UAW gave back items. Some of those have never returned and never will. We had other items that we won back, plus more, in succeding contracts when the economy as a whole turned up.

 

STOP THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF AS A SINGLE UNIT AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE 41,000+ PEOPLE THAT THE UAW HAS TO BARGIN FOR

[ReDemption]

Understand that coming on to this sit and personally bashing each other is not helping our cause. People have the right to their opinions. Hopefully they will start to think about the time in which we currently live. The most our IUAW could possibly extract from the company for penance of our sacrificed concessions would be JOBS. Nothing outweighs this fact.

 

In 2003 we had 101k UAW Ford Workers and we now have 41k. That’s the derivative of the old formula. In 2009 we accepted concessions to do what? Save the company we work for and to save our Union jobs. We have done just that, we have also turned the tide of losing our jobs. We have the opportunity to add jobs and to bring back product back from offshore.

 

So, what’s the real bottom line? I have to ask because I have spoken to folks that are upset that the 2nd tier worker would receive a pay increase and not the 1st tier, yet the very same person was upset that the 2nd tier wasn’t at parity. I have talked to folks that are upset at the VEBA getting 10% (off the top) from our profit sharing, and yet two minutes later complain that they are scared that the VEBA won’t last. I know what you’re thinking, and trust me I was at the same quandary in making sense of them statements. People are upset just because they have a right to be upset. They have lost faith and they have little to no trust left. By adding jobs for our brothers and sisters, by returning product from offshore, the IUAW has restored my faith in the true meaning of Union.

 

We look good in the public’s eye, we are gaining market share and we are about to start putting on jobs for people that are in much need of work. We need numbers, numbers cost the most, and we need to keep on target with public view and market share. For the first time since 1980 our hour glass of losing UAW Auto worker jobs has been flipped from nearing empty. It’s up to us to look at this contract for what it really is and for its real worth to us as a whole.

 

Many plants gained product because we as a Union and as a whole accepted the 2007 agreement along the mods. Here’s just a few of them that reaped the benefits of our sacrifices and received product commitments. I’m not complaining, its awesome that we did what we needed to, I’m just saying.

 

– Chicago Assembly Plant

– Kansas City Assembly Plant

– Louisville Assembly Plant

– Michigan Assembly Plant

– Ohio Assembly Plant

 

It’s going to be very interesting to see if they vote to save other Union brothers and sisters jobs at other plants as was done for them.

 

Be Good

 

Jeff Hodges

Local 600

Dearborn Stamping & DTP Body

Vice President & Bargaining Representative

Edited October 13, 2011 by ReDemption

[povertyknob]

they are losing money. Comeon son read.

I'm 62 years old and retired from Ford...so you must be a real geezer to call me "son". How much money are we talking about,really? A Christmas bonus? I couldn't expect active workers to give up anything if I'm not willing to take a little hit. Exactly how much is it?

[povertyknob]

Understand that coming on to this sit and personally bashing each other is not helping our cause. People have the right to their opinions. Hopefully they will start to think about the time in which we currently live. The most our IUAW could possibly extract from the company for penance of our sacrificed concessions would be JOBS. Nothing outweighs this fact.

 

In 2003 we had 101k UAW Ford Workers and we now have 41k. That’s the derivative of the old formula. In 2009 we accepted concessions to do what? Save the company we work for and to save our Union jobs. We have done just that, we have also turned the tide of losing our jobs. We have the opportunity to add jobs and to bring back product back from offshore.

 

So, what’s the real bottom line? I have to ask because I have spoken to folks that are upset that the 2nd tier worker would receive a pay increase and not the 1st tier, yet the very same person was upset that the 2nd tier wasn’t at parity. I have talked to folks that are upset at the VEBA getting 10% (off the top) from our profit sharing, and yet two minutes later complain that they are scared that the VEBA won’t last. I know what you’re thinking, and trust me I was at the same quandary in making sense of them statements. People are upset just because they have a right to be upset. They have lost faith and they have little to no trust left. By adding jobs for our brothers and sisters, by returning product from offshore, the IUAW has restored my faith in the true meaning of Union.

 

We look good in the public’s eye, we are gaining market share and we are about to start putting on jobs for people that are in much need of work. We need numbers, numbers cost the most, and we need to keep on target with public view and market share. For the first time since 1980 our hour glass of losing UAW Auto worker jobs has been flipped from nearing empty. It’s up to us to look at this contract for what it really is and for its real worth to us as a whole.

 

Many plants gained product because we as a Union and as a whole accepted the 2007 agreement along the mods. Here’s just a few of them that reaped the benefits of our sacrifices and received product commitments. I’m not complaining, its awesome that we did what we needed to, I’m just saying.

 

– Chicago Assembly Plant

– Kansas City Assembly Plant

– Louisville Assembly Plant

– Michigan Assembly Plant

– Ohio Assembly Plant

 

It’s going to be very interesting to see if they vote to save other Union brothers and sisters jobs at other plants as was done for them.

 

Be Good

 

Jeff Hodges

Local 600

Dearborn Stamping & DTP Body

Vice President & Bargaining Representative

For the life of me i cannot understand why some members refuse to take a longer term view. People are unhappy about what has been given up,i get that. But until Ford pays off a lot more of it's debt those things aren't coming back..if ever.Let's get more jobs back to the U.S. and employ more Americans. Bring everyone back from layoff. Then there's leverage to bargain.

[lovelincolns]

Understand that coming on to this sit and personally bashing each other is not helping our cause. People have the right to their opinions. Hopefully they will start to think about the time in which we currently live. The most our IUAW could possibly extract from the company for penance of our sacrificed concessions would be JOBS. Nothing outweighs this fact.

 

In 2003 we had 101k UAW Ford Workers and we now have 41k. That’s the derivative of the old formula. In 2009 we accepted concessions to do what? Save the company we work for and to save our Union jobs. We have done just that, we have also turned the tide of losing our jobs. We have the opportunity to add jobs and to bring back product back from offshore.

 

So, what’s the real bottom line? I have to ask because I have spoken to folks that are upset that the 2nd tier worker would receive a pay increase and not the 1st tier, yet the very same person was upset that the 2nd tier wasn’t at parity. I have talked to folks that are upset at the VEBA getting 10% (off the top) from our profit sharing, and yet two minutes later complain that they are scared that the VEBA won’t last. I know what you’re thinking, and trust me I was at the same quandary in making sense of them statements. People are upset just because they have a right to be upset. They have lost faith and they have little to no trust left. By adding jobs for our brothers and sisters, by returning product from offshore, the IUAW has restored my faith in the true meaning of Union.

 

We look good in the public’s eye, we are gaining market share and we are about to start putting on jobs for people that are in much need of work. We need numbers, numbers cost the most, and we need to keep on target with public view and market share. For the first time since 1980 our hour glass of losing UAW Auto worker jobs has been flipped from nearing empty. It’s up to us to look at this contract for what it really is and for its real worth to us as a whole.

 

Many plants gained product because we as a Union and as a whole accepted the 2007 agreement along the mods. Here’s just a few of them that reaped the benefits of our sacrifices and received product commitments. I’m not complaining, its awesome that we did what we needed to, I’m just saying.

 

– Chicago Assembly Plant

– Kansas City Assembly Plant

– Louisville Assembly Plant

– Michigan Assembly Plant

– Ohio Assembly Plant

 

It’s going to be very interesting to see if they vote to save other Union brothers and sisters jobs at other plants as was done for them.

 

Be Good

 

Jeff Hodges

Local 600

Dearborn Stamping & DTP Body

Vice President & Bargaining Representative

Jeff, you are so right about the jobs issue. Without numbers there is no strength. Given the low numbers we have, the contract is certainly a fair one. Two years of profits doesn't exactly put Ford on top of the heap. Ford is still in recovery mode and hopefully by 2015 Ford will have another 4 years of solid profits. Hopefully Bob King and the organizers will have been able to organize some of the transplants. The UAW needs to have good public relations and given the economy where unemployment and underemployment combined are probably 20% if this contract is turned down it will really damage our public image and support. This contract is fair and should be supported. There is no reason for the bargaining committee to have not gotten more if they could have. I have read that with Ford making $5 billion a year profit will produce approximately $5,000 in yearly profit sharing. Ford is making more than that in a recession. Ford's profits and worker's profit sharing can soar with a decent recovery. I am retired and worked for 35 years with Ford and have seen much. Now is not the time to strike. Enjoy a good job, solid benefits and healthy bonuses and profit sharing and come back in 4 years when hopefully the UAW can bargain from a stronger position than it now enjoys.

[bigphish]

Mr Hodges, i usually agree or at least respect your opinion but this agreement is crap. IUAW negotiated a raise for people who haven't even been hired yet. Who does this benefit, certainly not any of us who have been paying union dues for the last 20+yrs. Just a few crumbs thrown our way and this would have passed easily, but no they bring this POS to us that benefits them ( more union dues ) and the company. We deserve better from the people who live off of our sweat and money. Every person on that negotiating team should be embarrassed. They are supposed to work for us but we see who they really work for.

[Armstrong]

Understand that coming on to this sit and personally bashing each other is not helping our cause. People have the right to their opinions. Hopefully they will start to think about the time in which we currently live. The most our IUAW could possibly extract from the company for penance of our sacrificed concessions would be JOBS. Nothing outweighs this fact.

 

In 2003 we had 101k UAW Ford Workers and we now have 41k. That’s the derivative of the old formula. In 2009 we accepted concessions to do what? Save the company we work for and to save our Union jobs. We have done just that, we have also turned the tide of losing our jobs. We have the opportunity to add jobs and to bring back product back from offshore.

 

So, what’s the real bottom line? I have to ask because I have spoken to folks that are upset that the 2nd tier worker would receive a pay increase and not the 1st tier, yet the very same person was upset that the 2nd tier wasn’t at parity. I have talked to folks that are upset at the VEBA getting 10% (off the top) from our profit sharing, and yet two minutes later complain that they are scared that the VEBA won’t last. I know what you’re thinking, and trust me I was at the same quandary in making sense of them statements. People are upset just because they have a right to be upset. They have lost faith and they have little to no trust left. By adding jobs for our brothers and sisters, by returning product from offshore, the IUAW has restored my faith in the true meaning of Union.

 

We look good in the public’s eye, we are gaining market share and we are about to start putting on jobs for people that are in much need of work. We need numbers, numbers cost the most, and we need to keep on target with public view and market share. For the first time since 1980 our hour glass of losing UAW Auto worker jobs has been flipped from nearing empty. It’s up to us to look at this contract for what it really is and for its real worth to us as a whole.

 

Many plants gained product because we as a Union and as a whole accepted the 2007 agreement along the mods. Here’s just a few of them that reaped the benefits of our sacrifices and received product commitments. I’m not complaining, its awesome that we did what we needed to, I’m just saying.

 

– Chicago Assembly Plant

– Kansas City Assembly Plant

– Louisville Assembly Plant

– Michigan Assembly Plant

– Ohio Assembly Plant

 

It’s going to be very interesting to see if they vote to save other Union brothers and sisters jobs at other plants as was done for them.

 

Be Good

 

Jeff Hodges

Local 600

Dearborn Stamping & DTP Body

Vice President & Bargaining Representative

 

+1

[Tradesguy89]

Understand that coming on to this sit and personally bashing each other is not helping our cause. People have the right to their opinions. Hopefully they will start to think about the time in which we currently live. The most our IUAW could possibly extract from the company for penance of our sacrificed concessions would be JOBS. Nothing outweighs this fact.

 

In 2003 we had 101k UAW Ford Workers and we now have 41k. That’s the derivative of the old formula. In 2009 we accepted concessions to do what? Save the company we work for and to save our Union jobs. We have done just that, we have also turned the tide of losing our jobs. We have the opportunity to add jobs and to bring back product back from offshore.

 

So, what’s the real bottom line? I have to ask because I have spoken to folks that are upset that the 2nd tier worker would receive a pay increase and not the 1st tier, yet the very same person was upset that the 2nd tier wasn’t at parity. I have talked to folks that are upset at the VEBA getting 10% (off the top) from our profit sharing, and yet two minutes later complain that they are scared that the VEBA won’t last. I know what you’re thinking, and trust me I was at the same quandary in making sense of them statements. People are upset just because they have a right to be upset. They have lost faith and they have little to no trust left. By adding jobs for our brothers and sisters, by returning product from offshore, the IUAW has restored my faith in the true meaning of Union.

 

We look good in the public’s eye, we are gaining market share and we are about to start putting on jobs for people that are in much need of work. We need numbers, numbers cost the most, and we need to keep on target with public view and market share. For the first time since 1980 our hour glass of losing UAW Auto worker jobs has been flipped from nearing empty. It’s up to us to look at this contract for what it really is and for its real worth to us as a whole.

 

Many plants gained product because we as a Union and as a whole accepted the 2007 agreement along the mods. Here’s just a few of them that reaped the benefits of our sacrifices and received product commitments. I’m not complaining, its awesome that we did what we needed to, I’m just saying.

 

– Chicago Assembly Plant

– Kansas City Assembly Plant

– Louisville Assembly Plant

– Michigan Assembly Plant

– Ohio Assembly Plant

 

It’s going to be very interesting to see if they vote to save other Union brothers and sisters jobs at other plants as was done for them.

 

Be Good

 

Jeff Hodges

Local 600

Dearborn Stamping & DTP Body

Vice President & Bargaining Representative

 

 

Well Said.

 

+2

[Rouge rat]

One of the first things many of you have to learn is when to go for the pie in the sky contract and when not to. I just saw an article that showed the profits and losses by quarter for Ford From 2007 till 2011. If you add up the losses and add up the profits what you get is the company has not earned enough profit to offset the the losses in that time frame. You also have to open up your eyes and look around and see that we are not an island unto our selves. There are still about 9.8% of Americans out of work. In this type of economy you shouldn't be bitching about the size of the gift horse, you should be very happy that you have the gift horse in the first place. For those that are so stupid that you can not figure that out I am talking about it is a good paying job.

 

When the economy was in the tank in the 1980's the UAW gave back items. Some of those have never returned and never will. We had other items that we won back, plus more, in succeding contracts when the economy as a whole turned up.

 

STOP THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF AS A SINGLE UNIT AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE 41,000+ PEOPLE THAT THE UAW HAS TO BARGIN FOR

 

 

 

Even with the screaming letters, I think I agree with you.

[ReDemption]

Mr Hodges, i usually agree or at least respect your opinion but this agreement is crap. IUAW negotiated a raise for people who haven't even been hired yet. Who does this benefit, certainly not any of us who have been paying union dues for the last 20+yrs. Just a few crumbs thrown our way and this would have passed easily, but no they bring this POS to us that benefits them ( more union dues ) and the company. We deserve better from the people who live off of our sweat and money. Every person on that negotiating team should be embarrassed. They are supposed to work for us but we see who they really work for.

 

Bigphish, you say that you usually agree with me or at least respect my opinion. I appreciate that brother, for sure, but please understand that I’m trying to tell you that the cost of adding jobs far outweigh any meritorious gain for us as individuals.

 

The formula of the past cost us our most prized possession, and that’s our brothers and sisters jobs. Are you saying that your signing bonus, your COLA, is more important than the addition of a fellow job? I’m not saying that they are not important, I’m just saying that it’s time to add jobs.

 

We are currently the highest paid auto workers in the industry, bar none. This is a direct derivative from our sweat and sacrifices. The reason our forefathers gained the padded language in our contracts was for the pure protection of our jobs and our base wage. To save jobs, we cut the fat. When we gain as a Union, we then start putting the fat back on.

 

Tell me what they could add, that wouldn’t cost us more jobs and investment. We are at $58 an hour all inclusive. We were at $55 until the last profit sharing, and then the proposed Nov profit share will at least put us at $60. Toyota is at $52, other than GM, Chrysler they are the next in labor wage costs, but all of them are below us right now.

 

My fear is the general public that has gained faith in us UAW Ford Auto workers, will dump us like a bad habit because of our actions, then what?

 

Be Good Brother.

 

Jeff Hodges

 

Edit was to add that the hourly figures are all inclusive. If you want I’ll post the formula that explains how it’s derived

Edited October 14, 2011 by ReDemption

[bigphish]

Like i said they bargained for a raise for people that don't even work for the company. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED. I do not think a return of our break minutes or the day after Easter would effect their precious number that much. A few crumbs for the people who pay the bargaining committee to do a job for them not themselves. Just those 2 things added and this would have easily passed.

Edited October 14, 2011 by bigphish

[mbabbitt]

Like i said they bargained for a raise for people that don't even work for the company. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED. I do not think a return of our break minutes or the day after Easter would effect their precious number that much. A few crumbs for the people who pay the bargaining committee to do a job for them not themselves. Just those 2 things added and this would have easily passed.

 

so you are ready to risk your job and our's ,,,,,over them bread crumb's,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, that is not right

Edited October 14, 2011 by mbabbitt

[bigphish]

4 more years of no raises and no cola while management got their shit back is a hard pill to swallow. It;s called good faith and i see none from the company in this contract. What i see is the company and the IUAW in bed together and it makes me sick thats not what i pay 57 dollars a month for.

[Pulse]

If the spineless members of our union ratify this shitty contract,they will also be the first sorry asses to cry about whats in it. Read the agreement before you vote!!!! It is embarressing to me that our bargaining skilled leadership presented this agreement to the membership. WAKE UP WHIMPIES ,OPEN YOUR EYES,SOLIDARITY FOREVER

 

 

Nice try...NOT!!!

[Pulse]

Really , please I missed that portion besides Christmas bonus. Can you point me to the correct page numbers that include the cuts they are getting with this ?

 

While I would agree they gained nothing in this deal they have not had anything taken from them other than the already mentioned Christmas bonus, just as traditional employees they are staying were they are.

 

Dont just make statements tell me where in the contract and I will read it for myself, because what I have already mentioned I have come accrossed nothing else that has changed.

 

 

Actually bro...as much on point as you are...remind our retiree's that the language is STILL IN THE BOOK...not yellin'...just want it to be seen...lol

[skypilotusmc1]

I read where at Chicago Assembly it is thought (or maybe be shown) that by adding a third shift the workers would lose OT. When I first started at Lorain Assembly Plant a brother told me, don't base your standard of living on what you make on OT or for that matter on 40 hrs a week. Base it upon what unemployment is. Years ago before I started at Ford and lived in Michigan I saw on the news when something like this (our contract disagreements) that a Ford worker was told that if every Ford worker would work 40 hrs a week all those workers on layoff could return to work. His response was "I don't care about them. I need 56 hrs a week to pay for my lifestyle."

 

Think back just a short while ago when GM and Chrysler sought gov't assistance. Remember how the news, Congress and most of America felt about union workers? If we vote down this contract, we will not get a better one, we will lose money that we will not be able to regain, America will again talk about those greedy autoworkers and many of the Ford workers will lose things that we have worked hard to achieve.

 

Do I like that we are not getting our COLA? NOT AT ALL! But because we have COLA doesn't mean we will always get pay raises because of it. There have been times that we have lost some monies (few, but still lost). Do I like the money that upper management gets paid? NOT AT ALL! I believe that no person is worth what they are being paid in most upper management positions. But the fact of life is they get it and I (we) work hard for every penny we get. And my belief is we should get more. I voted NO on every concession we gave back. I knew that once it is given up, IT'S GONE. So in reality I was hoping to keep that which we had in this new contract. It seems as if that has happened. Would I like to have gotten more; oh yea! But.... And isn't there a limit on the number of 2 tier workers that Ford can have in it's workforce? And, didn't most of us agree that the pay they would receive was not enough? And didn't the majority of Ford workers agree to that percentage and their pay? Oh yes, we did ratify that contract.

 

As for the assembly plants getting new work in the 2007 contract, i.e. new body shops, Ohio Assembly did not get theirs. The only promised plant that didn't get what was in the contract. How many of you cried to IUAW for us? So I too know how some of you feel about the IUAW. Will we get the new promised truck? I'll believe it when we start running them. Don't forget that Ford built a state of the art paint shop at Lorain Assembly. Only to run very few vans through it and disassemble it and move it to Michigan.

 

A contract is only as good as the paper it's printed on or as the whole UAW stands behind it.

 

I agree that I think this is the best we can expect in these times. We should ratify this agreement and wait to fight another day. Lets not lose the war at the expense of a very small victory (if it could be called that).

 

Just so you know, I select rims at B40 for the Econoline. I'm a 60 yr old disabled Marine Vietnam Vet, walk with a limp and can out work most people, if I choose to.

 

Semper Fi;

Skypilotusmc1

[itsmeuaw]

Really , please I missed that portion besides Christmas bonus. Can you point me to the correct page numbers that include the cuts they are getting with this ?

 

While I would agree they gained nothing in this deal they have not had anything taken from them other than the already mentioned Christmas bonus, just as traditional employees they are staying were they are.

 

Dont just make statements tell me where in the contract and I will read it for myself, because what I have already mentioned I have come accrossed nothing else that has changed.

No raise in 4 years on a fixed income ,I don't think the price of food will remain the same or gas ,rent,etc..........

[KTP_Sparky]

Bigphish, you say that you usually agree with me or at least respect my opinion. I appreciate that brother, for sure, but please understand that I’m trying to tell you that the cost of adding jobs far outweigh any meritorious gain for us as individuals.

 

The formula of the past cost us our most prized possession, and that’s our brothers and sisters jobs. Are you saying that your signing bonus, your COLA, is more important than the addition of a fellow job? I’m not saying that they are not important, I’m just saying that it’s time to add jobs.

 

We are currently the highest paid auto workers in the industry, bar none. This is a direct derivative from our sweat and sacrifices. The reason our forefathers gained the padded language in our contracts was for the pure protection of our jobs and our base wage. To save jobs, we cut the fat. When we gain as a Union, we then start putting the fat back on.

 

Tell me what they could add, that wouldn’t cost us more jobs and investment. We are at $58 an hour all inclusive. We were at $55 until the last profit sharing, and then the proposed Nov profit share will at least put us at $60. Toyota is at $52, other than GM, Chrysler they are the next in labor wage costs, but all of them are below us right now.

 

My fear is the general public that has gained faith in us UAW Ford Auto workers, will dump us like a bad habit because of our actions, then what?

 

Be Good Brother.

 

Jeff Hodges

 

Edit was to add that the hourly figures are all inclusive. If you want I’ll post the formula that explains how it’s derived

 

 

 

 

I would like to see how the cost per hour is derived... Thanks in advance for the info.