The Way Forward

[thegunslinger]

We have all heard by now, about "The Way Forward" plan being sped up within the next sixty days. Any rumors out there at other plants? Has to be. What has everyone been hearing? It seems quiet here on that one thus far (calm before the storm?). Truck sales are plummeting due to our "oil crisis" and other ramifications, and it does not take a rocket scientist or soothsayer to see the handwriting on the wall. I personnally think that NAP will be addressed in the past tense come this time next year, if things continue at the current pace. If Billy and Lucifer (I think we know who that is) do not come up with a feasable plan to appease the investors, FoMoCo itself is in serious danger. I know that my Ford career is in it's terminal stage, as are many others. But what about the pension we have earned? What about the pension of the retirees, who have done their time only to be confronted with the very real possibility of having this stripped from them? Ford is at a point in history that has two avenues of travel: rising from the ashes, or total destruction. I hope it is the former rather than the latter for our pension if nothing else. I know that life is not easy. So does everyone else. But please do not stand at the podium addressing the latest BULLSHIT webcast on the great and noble plan with a smile on your face and a gleam in your eye without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time. At the end of the day, when you look in the mirror, is it as important to see yourselves as people who really cared about the patriotic Americans who work here where the business started, or as money subserviant lackeys who cared more about strengthening your empire of sand? We know the answer. Stop bullshitting everyone now because the colors are bleeding through. All of you could be painted any color in the universe, and the dollar bill green sheen on your lot would still reign supreme. Attitudes of greed will one day catch up with you. Sadly, by that time, you will have taken many good people's jobs and faiths down a path of no return. If the truth had been told from beginning without all of this cloak and dagger mentality, it might not have been so bad. But you all attempted to play us as fools. Openly. Now, when the fact that "the plan" is not working, and some other precious tidbits come into open light, you not only refuse to be a little humble, but throw up a wall saying that "we will speed up the plan". We are not dumb. We will not be played as pawns in your losing chess game. I am to the point now that I will think about my pension when I consider a GM or Dodge product for the sole reason of doing my little part to destroy YOU!!!! Stick that in your diamond encrusted pipe and smoke it!!!

[Pipefitter]

We have all heard by now, about "The Way Forward" plan being sped up within the next sixty days. Any rumors out there at other plants? Has to be. What has everyone been hearing? It seems quiet here on that one thus far (calm before the storm?). Truck sales are plummeting due to our "oil crisis" and other ramifications, and it does not take a rocket scientist or soothsayer to see the handwriting on the wall. I personnally think that NAP will be addressed in the past tense come this time next year, if things continue at the current pace. If Billy and Lucifer (I think we know who that is) do not come up with a feasable plan to appease the investors, FoMoCo itself is in serious danger. I know that my Ford career is in it's terminal stage, as are many others. But what about the pension we have earned? What about the pension of the retirees, who have done their time only to be confronted with the very real possibility of having this stripped from them? Ford is at a point in history that has two avenues of travel: rising from the ashes, or total destruction. I hope it is the former rather than the latter for our pension if nothing else. I know that life is not easy. So does everyone else. But please do not stand at the podium addressing the latest BULLSHIT webcast on the great and noble plan with a smile on your face and a gleam in your eye without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time. At the end of the day, when you look in the mirror, is it as important to see yourselves as people who really cared about the patriotic Americans who work here where the business started, or as money subserviant lackeys who cared more about strengthening your empire of sand? We know the answer. Stop bullshitting everyone now because the colors are bleeding through. All of you could be painted any color in the universe, and the dollar bill green sheen on your lot would still reign supreme. Attitudes of greed will one day catch up with you. Sadly, by that time, you will have taken many good people's jobs and faiths down a path of no return. If the truth had been told from beginning without all of this cloak and dagger mentality, it might not have been so bad. But you all attempted to play us as fools. Openly. Now, when the fact that "the plan" is not working, and some other precious tidbits come into open light, you not only refuse to be a little humble, but throw up a wall saying that "we will speed up the plan". We are not dumb. We will not be played as pawns in your losing chess game. I am to the point now that I will think about my pension when I consider a GM or Dodge product for the sole reason of doing my little part to destroy YOU!!!! Stick that in your diamond encrusted pipe and smoke it!!!

 

[superduty 1]

well said as always gunslinger :titanic:

[slapshot2]

We have all heard by now, about "The Way Forward" plan being sped up within the next sixty days. Any rumors out there at other plants? Has to be. What has everyone been hearing? It seems quiet here on that one thus far (calm before the storm?). Truck sales are plummeting due to our "oil crisis" and other ramifications, and it does not take a rocket scientist or soothsayer to see the handwriting on the wall. I personnally think that NAP will be addressed in the past tense come this time next year, if things continue at the current pace. If Billy and Lucifer (I think we know who that is) do not come up with a feasable plan to appease the investors, FoMoCo itself is in serious danger. I know that my Ford career is in it's terminal stage, as are many others. But what about the pension we have earned? What about the pension of the retirees, who have done their time only to be confronted with the very real possibility of having this stripped from them? Ford is at a point in history that has two avenues of travel: rising from the ashes, or total destruction. I hope it is the former rather than the latter for our pension if nothing else. I know that life is not easy. So does everyone else. But please do not stand at the podium addressing the latest BULLSHIT webcast on the great and noble plan with a smile on your face and a gleam in your eye without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time. At the end of the day, when you look in the mirror, is it as important to see yourselves as people who really cared about the patriotic Americans who work here where the business started, or as money subserviant lackeys who cared more about strengthening your empire of sand? We know the answer. Stop bullshitting everyone now because the colors are bleeding through. All of you could be painted any color in the universe, and the dollar bill green sheen on your lot would still reign supreme. Attitudes of greed will one day catch up with you. Sadly, by that time, you will have taken many good people's jobs and faiths down a path of no return. If the truth had been told from beginning without all of this cloak and dagger mentality, it might not have been so bad. But you all attempted to play us as fools. Openly. Now, when the fact that "the plan" is not working, and some other precious tidbits come into open light, you not only refuse to be a little humble, but throw up a wall saying that "we will speed up the plan". We are not dumb. We will not be played as pawns in your losing chess game. I am to the point now that I will think about my pension when I consider a GM or Dodge product for the sole reason of doing my little part to destroy YOU!!!! Stick that in your diamond encrusted pipe and smoke it!!!

 

 

What a bunch of non-sensicle jibber-jabber. To think that the executive team is flushing the company down the crapper to screw the workforce is paranoid, at best. The decision to close NAP, while very unpopular, is one that they feel will be most cost effective in the long run. While the struggle to return to profitability is very frustrating for all of us, I don't think rants like yours are appropriate either. And be honest, do you really think any of the upper brass in this company spend their free time reading these forums? I think you are taking the current state of the company way too personal. I don't think supporting the purchase of a competitors products is the answer that will preserve pensions in the long run either. You have clearly stated that you think their "plan" is BULLSHIT. I should ask; have you given any contribution at all towards their efforts to turn the company around? I know they have very openly sought the creative ideas of the workforce as part of this "plan". So, other than blaming all of the company's problems on Mark Fields, what do you propose they do to save your pension? Make no mistake about it, I am not exactly thrilled with the current state of the company either, but I certainly am not naive enough to blame all of this on a man that has had very little time on his job, and has a very impressive corporate background. They set a goal of profitability in NA by 2008. How can you be so sure that this goal will not be attained? If it is, will he still be "Lucifer" in your eyes?

Edited July 25, 2006 by slapshot2

[Rascal]

Wow, I'm not real happy with everything that's going on. And yes, I'm at a plant that is slated to close. (Batavia). But really, these are some drama-filled words. I gave up a job of eleven years to come to Ford 6 years ago. Bummer yes, but life WILL go on. It's time to pull youself up, not waller in resentment and pitty. Lighten up just alittle, for youself and the rest of us.

[7kidz]

We have all heard by now, about "The Way Forward" plan being sped up within the next sixty days. Any rumors out there at other plants? Has to be. What has everyone been hearing? It seems quiet here on that one thus far (calm before the storm?). Truck sales are plummeting due to our "oil crisis" and other ramifications, and it does not take a rocket scientist or soothsayer to see the handwriting on the wall. I personnally think that NAP will be addressed in the past tense come this time next year, if things continue at the current pace. If Billy and Lucifer (I think we know who that is) do not come up with a feasable plan to appease the investors, FoMoCo itself is in serious danger. I know that my Ford career is in it's terminal stage, as are many others. But what about the pension we have earned? What about the pension of the retirees, who have done their time only to be confronted with the very real possibility of having this stripped from them? Ford is at a point in history that has two avenues of travel: rising from the ashes, or total destruction. I hope it is the former rather than the latter for our pension if nothing else. I know that life is not easy. So does everyone else. But please do not stand at the podium addressing the latest BULLSHIT webcast on the great and noble plan with a smile on your face and a gleam in your eye without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time. At the end of the day, when you look in the mirror, is it as important to see yourselves as people who really cared about the patriotic Americans who work here where the business started, or as money subserviant lackeys who cared more about strengthening your empire of sand? We know the answer. Stop bullshitting everyone now because the colors are bleeding through. All of you could be painted any color in the universe, and the dollar bill green sheen on your lot would still reign supreme. Attitudes of greed will one day catch up with you. Sadly, by that time, you will have taken many good people's jobs and faiths down a path of no return. If the truth had been told from beginning without all of this cloak and dagger mentality, it might not have been so bad. But you all attempted to play us as fools. Openly. Now, when the fact that "the plan" is not working, and some other precious tidbits come into open light, you not only refuse to be a little humble, but throw up a wall saying that "we will speed up the plan". We are not dumb. We will not be played as pawns in your losing chess game. I am to the point now that I will think about my pension when I consider a GM or Dodge product for the sole reason of doing my little part to destroy YOU!!!! Stick that in your diamond encrusted pipe and smoke it!!!

 

 

AMEN BROTHER!! They worry about lobster or filet for dinner and we worry about putting gas in our cars and our kids school fees

[Bigcountry]

"Kicked through the goal posts of Hell", beautiful man, just beautiful

[davdog]

"without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time."

 

Are you that out of touch with reality? You assemble autos, if it weren't you it would be someone else, you should be thanking ford for giving you the job you've had for the last X number of years. Have you looked at the want adds lately and seen the pay for jobs that you're qualified for?

[butthead]

All its given me is a false sence of security and enough money to keep me out of trouble. When Ford is gone I will be standing tall and keeping out of trouble.

[MTP WORKER]

"without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time."

 

Are you that out of touch with reality? You assemble autos, if it weren't you it would be someone else, you should be thanking ford for giving you the job you've had for the last X number of years. Have you looked at the want adds lately and seen the pay for jobs that you're qualified for?

This is a Ford employee forum. Get the hell out of here you jealous piece of

[ktpworker69]

What a bunch of non-sensicle jibber-jabber. To think that the executive team is flushing the company down the crapper to screw the workforce is paranoid, at best. The decision to close NAP, while very unpopular, is one that they feel will be most cost effective in the long run. While the struggle to return to profitability is very frustrating for all of us, I don't think rants like yours are appropriate either. And be honest, do you really think any of the upper brass in this company spend their free time reading these forums? I think you are taking the current state of the company way too personal. I don't think supporting the purchase of a competitors products is the answer that will preserve pensions in the long run either. You have clearly stated that you think their "plan" is BULLSHIT. I should ask; have you given any contribution at all towards their efforts to turn the company around? I know they have very openly sought the creative ideas of the workforce as part of this "plan". So, other than blaming all of the company's problems on Mark Fields, what do you propose they do to save your pension? Make no mistake about it, I am not exactly thrilled with the current state of the company either, but I certainly am not naive enough to blame all of this on a man that has had very little time on his job, and has a very impressive corporate background. They set a goal of profitability in NA by 2008. How can you be so sure that this goal will not be attained? If it is, will he still be "Lucifer" in your eyes?

 

what are you......salary?? gunslinger said it as well as it can be said.

 

 

"without paying a bit of respect to the people that put all of your sorry asses where they are today by doing their jobs day in and day out for a damn sight less money than you people make in a month just to put food on the table, put children through college, and maybe have a little vacation from time to time."

 

Are you that out of touch with reality? You assemble autos, if it weren't you it would be someone else, you should be thanking ford for giving you the job you've had for the last X number of years. Have you looked at the want adds lately and seen the pay for jobs that you're qualified for?

 

qualified to do many jobs, but none near as physically demanding as assembling autos.....thats why we make what we do and have the benefits we have

[davdog]

what are you......salary?? gunslinger said it as well as it can be said.

qualified to do many jobs, but none near as physically demanding as assembling autos.....thats why we make what we do and have the benefits we have

 

 

NO, you make what you do because the union was able to strong arm through unrealistic wage demands and Ford was too lazy to try to put up a fight. Ahhh the good old days, when ford's only competition was GM and chrysler and they both had the same labor deals. Non market wages are not going to survive in a market economy. A job is worth what a capable individual is willing to accept to perform the job. You are now finding out what capable individuals are willing to accept.

 

This is a Ford employee forum. Get the hell out of here you jealous piece of

 

 

Jealous? Are you kidding me? With the road ahead for manufacturing, you think people are jealous?

[Tedhvac]

They worry about lobster or filet for dinner and we worry about putting gas in our cars and our kids school fees

 

The rest of the world has the same concerns not just auto workers.

 

And if I owned my own company I would also want to be very profitable and I am sure if I had stockholders they would demand that I be profitable.

 

Yes Ford wants to make billions instead of millions, so what! Ford is not a social program that has to provide jobs. Ford pays me and I pay the UAW. Let the billions of dollars the UAW has collected that is sitting in big corporate banks distribute that money back to the members that are losing there jobs.

[TCAP'er]

NO, you make what you do because the union was able to strong arm through unrealistic wage demands and Ford was too lazy to try to put up a fight. Ahhh the good old days, when ford's only competition was GM and chrysler and they both had the same labor deals. Non market wages are not going to survive in a market economy. A job is worth what a capable individual is willing to accept to perform the job. You are now finding out what capable individuals are willing to accept.

Jealous? Are you kidding me? With the road ahead for manufacturing, you think people are jealous?

 

What fucken planet are you comming from? have you done your research or reading before you sounded like you knew it all (you dumb ass!!!!!!), the last time I checked, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan here in the US paying their autoworkers almost as the same as UAW. You fucken MORON!!!!!

[davdog]

What fucken planet are you comming from? have you done your research or reading before you sounded like you knew it all (you dumb ass!!!!!!), the last time I checked, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan here in the US paying their autoworkers almost as the same as UAW. You fucken MORON!!!!!

 

 

They you should be all set then right? Then you are going to pick up a comparable job/pay when your plant closes right? If your skill set is worth $27 an hour then you won't have any problem getting a new job that pays close to that amount then. When ex-UAW are having to take jobs for half the pay I would say that their prior pay was out of whack. Non market wages in a market economy WON'T work.

[slapshot2]

what are you......salary?? gunslinger said it as well as it can be said.

qualified to do many jobs, but none near as physically demanding as assembling autos.....thats why we make what we do and have the benefits we have

If you think his comments had even the slightest hint of intelligence to them, then you are a freaking idiot that has zero comprehension for how the business world works. It was a big rambling whine is what it was. Substantiate one claim that his comments made pertaining to Mark Fields. No, I am not salary, just realistic when it comes to corporate America, and regardless of what you think, it will take time to turn a company around. What good does it do to bad mouth the situation anyways?

 

What fucken planet are you comming from? have you done your research or reading before you sounded like you knew it all (you dumb ass!!!!!!), the last time I checked, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan here in the US paying their autoworkers almost as the same as UAW. You fucken MORON!!!!!

I think his comments clearly show that he is referring to the lack of competition that used to be present. He never states that Honda, Nissan, etc. don't pay well, just that they did not used to share as much of the market as the big 3 did, meaning the dollars were more plentiful for the big 3 than they currently are. Per hour wages have nothing to do with this.

[ldp]

If you think his comments had even the slightest hint of intelligence to them, then you are a freaking idiot that has zero comprehension for how the business world works. It was a big rambling whine is what it was. Substantiate one claim that his comments made pertaining to Mark Fields. No, I am not salary, just realistic when it comes to corporate America, and regardless of what you think, it will take time to turn a company around. What good does it do to bad mouth the situation anyways?

I think his comments clearly show that he is referring to the lack of competition that used to be present. He never states that Honda, Nissan, etc. don't pay well, just that they did not used to share as much of the market as the big 3 did, meaning the dollars were more plentiful for the big 3 than they currently are. Per hour wages have nothing to do with this.

slinger is right but we all have to remember that when this last contract was set all 3 comps were in good shape. GM might join with Japan & France Ford should and has said all is on the table!!!! my thoughts seak out Honda the are the silnt japanes comp. that with a little USA help would mean nomber 1 in the world. B-4 GM does there deal. Honda builds more than just cars and trucks they build everthing. Toyota does not could keep ford & Honda number 1 for a long time face it people we are now a globle group and to keep are jobs were going to have to think globle spelling is not very good but you get the just.any one whant to ask if I have any more?????????????

[unionj]

slinger is right but we all have to remember that when this last contract was set all 3 comps were in good shape. GM might join with Japan & France Ford should and has said all is on the table!!!! my thoughts seak out Honda the are the silnt japanes comp. that with a little USA help would mean nomber 1 in the world. B-4 GM does there deal. Honda builds more than just cars and trucks they build everthing. Toyota does not could keep ford & Honda number 1 for a long time face it people we are now a globle group and to keep are jobs were going to have to think globle spelling is not very good but you get the just.any one whant to ask if I have any more?????????????

WHAT?

[MTP WORKER]

slinger is right but we all have to remember that when this last contract was set all 3 comps were in good shape. GM might join with Japan & France Ford should and has said all is on the table!!!! my thoughts seak out Honda the are the silnt japanes comp. that with a little USA help would mean nomber 1 in the world. B-4 GM does there deal. Honda builds more than just cars and trucks they build everthing. Toyota does not could keep ford & Honda number 1 for a long time face it people we are now a globle group and to keep are jobs were going to have to think globle spelling is not very good but you get the just.any one whant to ask if I have any more?????????????

Wow I only had a couple beers and I have a super high tolerance but when I read this post I felt like I was wasted. lol

[slapshot2]

Wow I only had a couple beers and I have a super high tolerance but when I read this post I felt like I was wasted. lol

Wow, you aren't kidding, and I've had nothing to drink!

[7kidz]

The rest of the world has the same concerns not just auto workers.

 

And if I owned my own company I would also want to be very profitable and I am sure if I had stockholders they would demand that I be profitable.

 

Yes Ford wants to make billions instead of millions, so what! Ford is not a social program that has to provide jobs. Ford pays me and I pay the UAW. Let the billions of dollars the UAW has collected that is sitting in big corporate banks distribute that money back to the members that are losing there jobs.

well,buddy not only do i work at Ford but Ive owned an extremely successful restaurant-for the past 23 years and guess what/ i care about my employees and their families and their lives and their troubles!!! i dont care how big of a company you becomee if you dont have morals to care about your fellow human being-you will never succeed! believe me Ive canned my share of problem employees--maybe ford should be able to do the same--on the other hand Ivee always been upfront and honest with whatever is going on--More than i can say for ford motor--ive also never had to search my employees and their belongings into and out of work like was done to me at lorain--why? because i treated my people with RESPECT-a term Ford is unfamiliar with-my employees did not have to beg for2 months for a water cooler or wait a week for a fan to be fixed either--no matter the size--a company owes themselves to the people that make their profits--we are not garbage

[F250]

I think you are taking the current state of the company way too personal.

 

That's interresting, Ford has always asked it's employees to take a personal interrest in building quality products, and the people at NAP have done that. Now that Ford has mismanaged the company into serious trouble which results in 30,000 lost American (NOT foreign) jobs the employees aren't supposed to "take it personal."

 

And be honest, do you really think any of the upper brass in this company spend their free time reading these forums?...I should ask; have you given any contribution at all towards their efforts to turn the company around? I know they have very openly sought the creative ideas of the workforce as part of this "plan".

Yea, every company says it wants to hear it's employees ideas and opinions, but we all know that's just BS. If Ford want's to know what their employees openly think then they should be reading this forum...but you're right they don't.

 

...I certainly am not naive enough to blame all of this on a man...

The captain is held responsable for his command.

 

The worst part is that the leadership of the company is admitting that Ford will never again be what it once was, a leader of American manufacturing. It does not need the manufacturing capacity it took 100 years to build because the future is so bleak 14 (or more) American plants must be permanently closed.

[Tedhvac]

well,buddy not only do i work at Ford but Ive owned an extremely successful restaurant-for the past 23 years and guess what/ i care about my employees and their families and their lives and their troubles!!! i dont care how big of a company you becomee if you dont have morals to care about your fellow human being-you will never succeed! believe me Ive canned my share of problem employees--maybe ford should be able to do the same--on the other hand Ivee always been upfront and honest with whatever is going on--More than i can say for ford motor--ive also never had to search my employees and their belongings into and out of work like was done to me at lorain--why? because i treated my people with RESPECT-a term Ford is unfamiliar with-my employees did not have to beg for2 months for a water cooler or wait a week for a fan to be fixed either--no matter the size--a company owes themselves to the people that make their profits--we are not garbage

 

Are your employees union?

[davdog]

well,buddy not only do i work at Ford but Ive owned an extremely successful restaurant-for the past 23 years and guess what/ i care about my employees and their families and their lives and their troubles!!! i dont care how big of a company you becomee if you dont have morals to care about your fellow human being-you will never succeed! believe me Ive canned my share of problem employees--maybe ford should be able to do the same--on the other hand Ivee always been upfront and honest with whatever is going on--More than i can say for ford motor--ive also never had to search my employees and their belongings into and out of work like was done to me at lorain--why? because i treated my people with RESPECT-a term Ford is unfamiliar with-my employees did not have to beg for2 months for a water cooler or wait a week for a fan to be fixed either--no matter the size--a company owes themselves to the people that make their profits--we are not garbage

 

 

I've got to go with Ted on this one. Are they union? Are you paying your employees twice what they could get at another job? Have your employees gone out on strike? Have your employees come to you with a list of work rules? The list goes on and on pal. Ford stopped owing you shit 2 years after you started working there.

[fastime]

I've got to go with Ted on this one. Are they union? Are you paying your employees twice what they could get at another job? Have your employees gone out on strike? Have your employees come to you with a list of work rules? The list goes on and on pal. Ford stopped owing you shit 2 years after you started working there.

You my friend are a real piece of work ...