Why Batavia Transmission Plant should be New 'Low Cost' site.

[BTV to SHV Transferee]

We keep hearing that Ford is going to build a 'Low Cost' parts plant somewhere in North America. North America consist of the United States, Canada and mexico. I personally beleive it will be built in Tennesee or Alabama, both 'right to work' states, but I really hope it will be in Batavia, Ohio. Why Tenn or Alabama? Thats where Nissan, Toyota and Hyundai are. Kia wont be that far away either in GA. Ford might give the UAW a plant in that region so the UAW can try and organize the foreign plants easier.

 

Why Batavia, Ohio ? The building is only 25 years old. It practically has a new roof, the whole building is air conditioned, even the inside truck docks and heat treat (although you couldnt tell in heat treat), as stated, inside out of the weather truck and rail docks, new floors, probably the largest single most heat treat facility in greater Cincinnati, dedicated power lines from Duke Energy, dedicated sewage treatment plant and retention lake, dedicated access from highway overpass and road (road name: Front Wheel Drive, after the front wheel drive transmisssions), in what is called the Appalacian area (considered one of the poorest and most economical devasted areas in the country, HUGH tax incentives for hiring residents living in the area), the only foreign trade zone in Ohio (meaning no taxes on what is imported or exported and what is imported and exported by passes the shipping ports inspection and is loaded/unloaded straight to Batavia for inspection there by U.S. Customs), millions of square footage for machinery and possibly for expansion or the building could be separated into different businesses. Why build if Ford has a building that doesnt need alot of fixing to get what they need. I'm sure the UAW would bargain a wage and benefits package to the liking of Ford to keep job in Batavia.

 

Why is your idling or closing(ed) plant the better choice?

[IndyMan]

3 letters dude. The first is U and the last is W. I'll leave it up to you to guess the rest... It's not just about the wages, it's about the ridiculous work rules and sticking up for sluggos.

 

IM

[MasterJedi]

Why is your idling or closing(ed) plant the better choice?

 

That's the million dollar question!

 

You'd think that plant would be a gold mine. The CVT main line is capable of being converted over to build other things than just that CTF 30 & 23. That's why BTV was suppost to be such a great location for the 6F, which didn't happen.

Not that he's a one man army, but what ever happened with Wes Malott's endless pursuit for getting Ford to change their minds? It seemed like before he got elected, he was all about giving out flyers about the status of talking to the State of Ohio, gov. officials, etc. I haven't been there in awhile, but friends inside keep me updated, and that isn't much. At the meeting on the 10th, all they said was there was no new news, and the staus is the same.

Your right, that plant has a lot of newer options that others do not. The A/C was a big one. Heat treat. Railroad access. The plant isn't that old.

I just don't get it. :shrug:

[dejablue2001s10]

We've all heard the talk about this "low cost plant" but they haven't done anything and who knows it they really are. But of course everyone that has a plant that is "idling" or closing thinks theres should get something like that. But we all at batavia were told of the great reasons why it should come there and so on and so fourth.

About the Wes comment i think he was trying but wasn't getting any help at all with it. But then again it's like all of them once they get in you never hear or see them.

 

I do feel that the people laid off are getting shafted on this, i for one have not been told about the buy outs in a letter or was told about the meeting in the plant about it. Yes i know we all can goto the General Meetings at the local but what is the local doing to help us out?

 

Why are we paying montly union dues out of sub pay when we are out having to look for jobs? Does that not make sense to anyone? I heard that the local "looks" for jobs that is why we pay dues while laid off. But of course that was hearsay. I just don't think we should have to look for 2 jobs a week while laid off. We only have unemployment from the state for 6 months.

 

I've just ranting about being laid off. I'm tired of it and bored with it.

[Footballfan]

We've all heard the talk about this "low cost plant" but they haven't done anything and who knows it they really are. But of course everyone that has a plant that is "idling" or closing thinks theres should get something like that. But we all at batavia were told of the great reasons why it should come there and so on and so fourth.

About the Wes comment i think he was trying but wasn't getting any help at all with it. But then again it's like all of them once they get in you never hear or see them.

 

I do feel that the people laid off are getting shafted on this, i for one have not been told about the buy outs in a letter or was told about the meeting in the plant about it. Yes i know we all can goto the General Meetings at the local but what is the local doing to help us out?

 

Why are we paying montly union dues out of sub pay when we are out having to look for jobs? Does that not make sense to anyone? I heard that the local "looks" for jobs that is why we pay dues while laid off. But of course that was hearsay. I just don't think we should have to look for 2 jobs a week while laid off. We only have unemployment from the state for 6 months.

 

I've just ranting about being laid off. I'm tired of it and bored with it.

 

Based on some of the reports that i read earlier this week, the low-cost plant appears to be on the back burner. It would be much more feasible to retool a closed site rather than build an all-new plant. The cost of the former would be about half. If Ford were to retool and idle plant, it would probably be Wixom to build the next generation Focus. Wixom has newer body and paint shops, and it is rumored that the Wayne plant will get the axe later in the decade and workers there could just transfer up the highway to Wixom or to Michigan Truck next door. Also, this may be a "carrot" Ford will offer in next year's contract talks . Regarding the UAW, I think at this point they will do about anything to preserve membership including two-tier wages, and flexible work rules. If you look at the new competitive operating agreements, they are very similar to what Toyota operate with in their nonunion plants.

Edited September 23, 2006 by Footballfan

[4R/5R Master]

The bottom line is Ford is trying to make as much money as they can. When they say low cost facilty they mean no current Ford workers with good wages and benefits. They are looking for a plant where they can pay little wage and no or very little healthcare/retirement. Ford closing plants nationwide is nothing but a tax writeoff at the end of the year. Ford could care less about the workers they put to the street, just concerned with profits and losses of each plant. Batavia in particular was just a ticking timebomb with the CVT and the performance they were getting out of their investment. You cant work 12 hours and only produce 150-200 transmissions and not expect something negative to happen. All workers were eating up the overtime thinking how great the money was, but I dont think they expected it would result in losing a job this soon.

[MasterJedi]

About the Wes comment i think he was trying but wasn't getting any help at all with it. But then again it's like all of them once they get in you never hear or see them.

I do feel that the people laid off are getting shafted on this, i for one have not been told about the buy outs in a letter or was told about the meeting in the plant about it. Yes i know we all can goto the General Meetings at the local but what is the local doing to help us out?

I've just ranting about being laid off. I'm tired of it and bored with it.

 

True, I think Wes was doing his best, no doubt, but he didn't get the help he needed, including our local.

 

The plant meetings about buyouts...........yeah, I haven't heard a thing. No one has called.....No one has sent me s--t in the mail. I, after two years, and this being the second time being laid-off, finally received a card in the mail stating that I was part of a union to carry in my billfold. Lot of good that does me now.

Noticed on the radio the other day of local 863 trying to recruit companies to join them. Poor bastards know whats coming.

 

I'm done.

[end of time]

:happy feet: of all the subjects this one is the greatest. no matter who or where the new plant ends up I hope everyone joins in to sell their plant. this is a great site I hope the new ceo read this thread :happy feet: :bandance:

[OHIOLOCAL863]

I would love to see the "Low Cost Plant" located in Batavia, Ohio. I think we have the rail line and the heat treat facility working in our favor. It's just really hard to understand the decision made back on 1/23/06. The Batavia Plant is new compared to most facilities in the Ford network. The building is located in a nice area for expansion. If you look across the street, I see thousands of acres, empty and ready for something big. The Batavia Plant could easily be tooled to build anything Ford Motor Company wanted. The building is big enough to build cars as it sits now. It's over 1,000,000 sq. ft. The plant has approval to build additional bays! Well, atleast Wes said so. I tried to tell people, you will get LESS WITH WES. I didn't vote for him and if you did, I have some advice for you. If you get a chance to vote ever again for someone, The guy who distributes the most BS, don't vote for him. The great example (THE SAVE THE PLANT UPDATES) how many did he put out? I think something like two or three. Then he get's elected and what do you know, he's somehow forgot about saving the plant. Well, atleast keeping you updated!

 

I don't know maybe he's working on it. I do know, I talked to a State Rep. recently and was told that nothing has changed with Ford's decision. He mentioned a name of a person he was working with inside the U.A.W. and it wasn't Wes Malott.

 

Master Jedi= You think Wes was doing his best? He was doing his best to get an elected position. He could give a shit less about anyone in the plant. He was looking to protect his own ass! He has hopes of getting an appointed position, within the system. When the doors close, he is hoping Mr. Warren will get him a slot somewhere. If by some chance, I get called back to Ford, I'm going to run for a position. I might not get elected but I'm sure going to try. I want a chance to represent the hard working men and women. I will be looking for support, I will put out the OHIOLOCAL863 Report to put a face to my name!

[BTV to SHV Transferee]

I do feel that the people laid off are getting shafted on this, i for one have not been told about the buy outs in a letter or was told about the meeting in the plant about it. Yes i know we all can goto the General Meetings at the local but what is the local doing to help us out?

 

Why are we paying montly union dues out of sub pay when we are out having to look for jobs? Does that not make sense to anyone? I heard that the local "looks" for jobs that is why we pay dues while laid off. But of course that was hearsay. I just don't think we should have to look for 2 jobs a week while laid off. We only have unemployment from the state for 6 months.

 

I've just ranting about being laid off. I'm tired of it and bored with it.

 

You pay Union dues for continued representation while on layoff. As of last week, those on layoff received a phone call about jobs in Califirnia and Arizona. That is continued representation. Your receipt of SUB pay is continued representation. Any other job you've had have SUB pay? 99.8% chance of a 'NO' answer there. The Union local doesnt look for jobs while you're on layoff. They do try to find you a 'volunteer' spot with a charity while in GEN. They do that so several hundred people arnt sitting in the plant wandering aimlessly.

 

Your unemployment is good for 52 weeks, not 26. Since Ohio is considered an economic impoverished state by the Federal Government, I believe 12 other states are also, your unemployment is good for 52 weeks. Even after the 52 weeks, one can file for a 26 week extension, although Ford workers go into GEN after 48 weeks of layoff. Your layoff time doesnt have to be consecutive, it just has to be 48 weeks per contract. Some have been told and believe that your 2005 layoff time doesnt count, but indeed it does.

 

You having to look for '2' jobs while on layoff is something the wonderful Republicans came up with because, they control the unemployment board in Columbus and Washington DC. They seem to believe that a family can be supported on $8.00hr. Most of the businesses that republicans own pay $6 -$8.00hr and beleive that is all you should have, with no benefits. Believe me, the '2' jobs a week search is also part of the crack down on illegal immigrants. As more and more bust happen, more and more $8.00hr jobs become unfilled. The republicans want the illegals for the cheap labor, but they also want security and deportation.

 

If you are going to take the cash buyout, use the $$$ wisely and invest at least 10% of it, and put $2,000 in a ROTH IRA, ROTH IRA isnt taxable when you go to draw from it later. It's the only IRA set up like that, but yearly contributions are only $2,000 a year max. You are not taxed on any income it may gain from interest or dividends it makes from being invested.

 

If you take the educational buyout, go to a public University. Private ones like Miami of Ohio are 3 times more expensive and you have to maintain a 'B' average to continue class there. Your $15,000 a year would be eat up in 2 semesters. Also the admissions testing is quite hard and you have to pass with at least a 'C' for consideration. The public colleges, like UC, Ohio State, UK, NKU, Dayton, Wright State, Wilmingon have to accept you regardless of your admision test scores.