[qwertyuiop]

This was posted in the Contract Concessions Thread, but I'll post it in a new topic as well.

Unless the word "guarantee" is in any of the product citations, there is not a thing that the UAW can do to bring in the work. They can only say "Well, we tried" when the company decides to move the work to Mexico or another third-world country.

Anybody with a penchant for legalese would know that this modification is nothing but helping the company while hurting the employees. They are trying to disguise the fact that there is not one single guarantee in the contract (with the exception of the "bonus" we would get) by using words such as "commitment"... Since commitment is a legal term meaning "a wish to fulfill an obligation", there is no legal ground that the UAW has to challenge the company's wishes should they choose to break the commitments.

As for the binding arbitration provision, this is also a slap in the face to employees. They would seek the services of an arbitrator (or panel) to determine the "competitiveness" of improving our wages over those of GM, Chrysler or the transplants. Since each and every single transplant pays their workers less than what we are paid (in terms of hourly wage), there is also not one legal challenge the UAW could show the arbitration panel that this would help the company. An arbitration panel would look at the facts, see that we are being paid more to start with, and throw the case out most likely as fast as it was given to them.

IIRC, the "joint" discussion on seat assembly to Rawsonville was supposed to occur within 90 days of the last modification where this discussion took place. Apparently that never happened. So they now wish to "commit" to doing it "again"... there's that lovely word again... "commit".

Remember what we have given up already.... just this year alone...

COLA: (assuming it stayed at 99 cents the entire contract): $6,240 through 2011
Performance Bonuses: $7,000 (on average) through 2011
Holidays: approximately $600 for two holidays
Christmas Bonuses: $1,200 for 2009/2010

TOTALS PER EMPLOYEE: $15,040 through the EOC in 2011, just in lost compensation

Assuming 36,000 Active Hourly Employees: $541,440,000 just in compensation concessions.

Do you really feel like giving up the most important tool we have (striking) for a measly $1,000 bonus (that won't be paid for 5 months anyways) which will end up only being about $670 after taxes?

Please think about what you are voting for when you vote on this. You are essentially giving the company free license to do what it wants, when it wants to do it, and saying to the workers "Ha ha, screw you, you agreed to it".

Please vote NO.

To add:

For those of you who are worried about what will happen to us if this doesn't pass:

DON'T!

As it stands right now, there is NO PRODUCT leaving the United States. If it doesn't pass, all they will do is go back to the bargaining table. A few words will get changed around, and it will be brought back to us. If it has materially changed the agreement for our betterment, then I could see a yes vote. But until I see solid GUARANTEES in black and white that can be enforced by the UAW in court against the company, don't expect me (or, hopefully, the majority of our brothers and sisters) to vote yes on any further concessions.

I admit... most of us bust our asses to make the money we do. Getting a little over 11% of your yearly pay slashed out of your pocket may not seem like much to some people, but for others, there goes...

- Your car payment
- Your mortgage payment
- Your utility bill payments
- Your luxury item payments

Would you like to have your home foreclosed on? Would you like your car, boat or RV repossessed? Do you want to live in your home without electricity, water or gas because it was shut off? Neither do I.

I implore all of my UAW-Ford Brothers and sisters out there... If you want to cling to at least a piece of what is left of the tattered rag that has become our union and stand up for what is right, PLEASE.... VOTE NO.

[1993Stang]

qwertyuiop, on Oct 14 2009, 10:53 AM, said:

This was posted in the Contract Concessions Thread, but I'll post it in a new topic as well.

Unless the word "guarantee" is in any of the product citations, there is not a thing that the UAW can do to bring in the work. They can only say "Well, we tried" when the company decides to move the work to Mexico or another third-world country.

Anybody with a penchant for legalese would know that this modification is nothing but helping the company while hurting the employees. They are trying to disguise the fact that there is not one single guarantee in the contract (with the exception of the "bonus" we would get) by using words such as "commitment"... Since commitment is a legal term meaning "a wish to fulfill an obligation", there is no legal ground that the UAW has to challenge the company's wishes should they choose to break the commitments.

As for the binding arbitration provision, this is also a slap in the face to employees. They would seek the services of an arbitrator (or panel) to determine the "competitiveness" of improving our wages over those of GM, Chrysler or the transplants. Since each and every single transplant pays their workers less than what we are paid (in terms of hourly wage), there is also not one legal challenge the UAW could show the arbitration panel that this would help the company. An arbitration panel would look at the facts, see that we are being paid more to start with, and throw the case out most likely as fast as it was given to them.

IIRC, the "joint" discussion on seat assembly to Rawsonville was supposed to occur within 90 days of the last modification where this discussion took place. Apparently that never happened. So they now wish to "commit" to doing it "again"... there's that lovely word again... "commit".

Remember what we have given up already.... just this year alone...

COLA: (assuming it stayed at 99 cents the entire contract): $6,240 through 2011
Performance Bonuses: $7,000 (on average) through 2011
Holidays: approximately $600 for two holidays
Christmas Bonuses: $1,200 for 2009/2010

TOTALS PER EMPLOYEE: $15,040 through the EOC in 2011, just in lost compensation

Assuming 36,000 Active Hourly Employees: $541,440,000 just in compensation concessions.

Do you really feel like giving up the most important tool we have (striking) for a measly $1,000 bonus (that won't be paid for 5 months anyways) which will end up only being about $670 after taxes?

Please think about what you are voting for when you vote on this. You are essentially giving the company free license to do what it wants, when it wants to do it, and saying to the workers "Ha ha, screw you, you agreed to it".

Please vote NO.

To add:

For those of you who are worried about what will happen to us if this doesn't pass:

DON'T!

As it stands right now, there is NO PRODUCT leaving the United States. If it doesn't pass, all they will do is go back to the bargaining table. A few words will get changed around, and it will be brought back to us. If it has materially changed the agreement for our betterment, then I could see a yes vote. But until I see solid GUARANTEES in black and white that can be enforced by the UAW in court against the company, don't expect me (or, hopefully, the majority of our brothers and sisters) to vote yes on any further concessions.

I admit... most of us bust our asses to make the money we do. Getting a little over 11% of your yearly pay slashed out of your pocket may not seem like much to some people, but for others, there goes...

- Your car payment
- Your mortgage payment
- Your utility bill payments
- Your luxury item payments

Would you like to have your home foreclosed on? Would you like your car, boat or RV repossessed? Do you want to live in your home without electricity, water or gas because it was shut off? Neither do I.

I implore all of my UAW-Ford Brothers and sisters out there... If you want to cling to at least a piece of what is left of the tattered rag that has become our union and stand up for what is right, PLEASE.... VOTE NO.

Thank You so much, hopefully people will see this and Stand Up! This topic hopefully will be viewed by most. Someone should make a copy of it and distribute it. Sometimes people forget the money that was taken away but now that is out there to see, great

[lepskilledtrades]

Good posting!!! Hopefully people will get a better idea of what we already gave up !! Time for Salary to give up their fair share

qwertyuiop, on Oct 14 2009, 11:53 AM, said:

This was posted in the Contract Concessions Thread, but I'll post it in a new topic as well.

Unless the word "guarantee" is in any of the product citations, there is not a thing that the UAW can do to bring in the work. They can only say "Well, we tried" when the company decides to move the work to Mexico or another third-world country.

Anybody with a penchant for legalese would know that this modification is nothing but helping the company while hurting the employees. They are trying to disguise the fact that there is not one single guarantee in the contract (with the exception of the "bonus" we would get) by using words such as "commitment"... Since commitment is a legal term meaning "a wish to fulfill an obligation", there is no legal ground that the UAW has to challenge the company's wishes should they choose to break the commitments.

As for the binding arbitration provision, this is also a slap in the face to employees. They would seek the services of an arbitrator (or panel) to determine the "competitiveness" of improving our wages over those of GM, Chrysler or the transplants. Since each and every single transplant pays their workers less than what we are paid (in terms of hourly wage), there is also not one legal challenge the UAW could show the arbitration panel that this would help the company. An arbitration panel would look at the facts, see that we are being paid more to start with, and throw the case out most likely as fast as it was given to them.

IIRC, the "joint" discussion on seat assembly to Rawsonville was supposed to occur within 90 days of the last modification where this discussion took place. Apparently that never happened. So they now wish to "commit" to doing it "again"... there's that lovely word again... "commit".

Remember what we have given up already.... just this year alone...

COLA: (assuming it stayed at 99 cents the entire contract): $6,240 through 2011
Performance Bonuses: $7,000 (on average) through 2011
Holidays: approximately $600 for two holidays
Christmas Bonuses: $1,200 for 2009/2010

TOTALS PER EMPLOYEE: $15,040 through the EOC in 2011, just in lost compensation

Assuming 36,000 Active Hourly Employees: $541,440,000 just in compensation concessions.

Do you really feel like giving up the most important tool we have (striking) for a measly $1,000 bonus (that won't be paid for 5 months anyways) which will end up only being about $670 after taxes?

Please think about what you are voting for when you vote on this. You are essentially giving the company free license to do what it wants, when it wants to do it, and saying to the workers "Ha ha, screw you, you agreed to it".

Please vote NO.

To add:

For those of you who are worried about what will happen to us if this doesn't pass:

DON'T!

As it stands right now, there is NO PRODUCT leaving the United States. If it doesn't pass, all they will do is go back to the bargaining table. A few words will get changed around, and it will be brought back to us. If it has materially changed the agreement for our betterment, then I could see a yes vote. But until I see solid GUARANTEES in black and white that can be enforced by the UAW in court against the company, don't expect me (or, hopefully, the majority of our brothers and sisters) to vote yes on any further concessions.

I admit... most of us bust our asses to make the money we do. Getting a little over 11% of your yearly pay slashed out of your pocket may not seem like much to some people, but for others, there goes...

- Your car payment
- Your mortgage payment
- Your utility bill payments
- Your luxury item payments

Would you like to have your home foreclosed on? Would you like your car, boat or RV repossessed? Do you want to live in your home without electricity, water or gas because it was shut off? Neither do I.

I implore all of my UAW-Ford Brothers and sisters out there... If you want to cling to at least a piece of what is left of the tattered rag that has become our union and stand up for what is right, PLEASE.... VOTE NO.