bustedknuckles

One thing I would like to see changed is vacations . We should be able to use all of our time when we want. If the company chooses to shut down it should be considered no work available and give everyone unemployment. Everyone I talk to agrees . It's their time to use when they want.

The company posted production job openings at Vandyke yesterday. They posted 250 at Chicago, 40 at Lima and , 47 at Romeo .date tbd . Many will just wait at bump to Sterling .Local 228 put out a letter at Sterling to inform low seniority members they can put in for the postings due to layoffs at Vandyke

Not if you've been reduced from trades . I honestly don't know how it would work in a non permanent manner.

I don't have any real issues with most of the contract. My only real bitch is why do they need to pick on trades again? We're not asking for a raise just to keep doing our jobs. But the company and the union want these mechanical teams so that they can cut 1/3 to 2/3 of us.How is that necessary when we're not costing anymore money than we already did? I understand the wage rate and staying competitive but honestly this is a joke. They think that we're stupid and believe that any savings do to efficiencys will not translate to immediate layoffs. The worst part is that we as trades don't even have a real vote . If every trades person company wide said no production can still pass it. I really wish we all had equal representation with the union . This all just gives me nausea .

I understand times are tough, but the fact that they couldn't do more to guarantee skilled trades doing skilled work and not production is a total joke. We worked long and hard to learn our skills . To throw us in production jobs is an insult. I know many would say at least it's a job . Unfortunately I will probably be forced to adopt that attitude.I will do a job that I'm over qualified for just like so many others on the line already do. I will live with it till my responsibility to my children is done . Once I get to that point I will leave and if it means less money to do a job that uses my skills so be it. Get used to give backs its the way of the future for the union . What matters to them now is increasing memebership and nothing else.

We're screwed, skilled trades is the minority. Production controls the vote and most of them really don't care about us . What the company really wants is trades working the line, and repairing it as well. Now thats cost savings. I hope I have enough time to keep me in the mechanical teams but I'm not counting on it. What I do know is when my kids are done with school and on their own I will jump ship if I'm working production. Until then all I can do is hope for the best , I hope we're all wrong but I doubt it . I really would love to see all trades working in trades. It's not asking for that much is it ? Good luck to all my skilled brothers and sisters.

I was curious if there has been any further news on the grievance? I'm hoping they have some resolution prior to presenting us with a contract offer.

By fascinating you must mean ridiculous , childish , and embarassing . Saddly many of the people on this site reflect very poorly on the majority of good hard working people on Ford's union work force .

That explains why the bill would have been $157.00 for 6 tablets. Damn I thought migraine meds were bad. We're in the wrong business the pharmaceutical companies have it going on !

Very well said !

I was curious if anyone has heard about our co-pays increasing for any reason? My wife went to Walgreens yesterday to pick up a prescription for me and the co-pay was $17.00 . I have H.A.P. for my medical and my highest co-pay is supposed to be $11.00 . Also they said H.A.P. would only allow 6 doses in 21 days. I was a bit stunned when she told me " Walgreens just said "we charge what H.A.P. tells us " .

The issue is dead with 2280 memo on the floor as of today says "no deal" It is not in Vandykes best interest so that should end some speculation!

I have a friend there that tells me february, alot of equipment still being installed

:shades: Thank you, My whole point of this thread is we as Americans need to demand some accountability we are losing our way of life . No matter what the goverment says we can not move on to a service based economy it just isnt feasable .They have given away the farm but still want the produce . I just feel so frustrated by the whole situation . I do not know what it will take to turn the tide but I only can hope it will

I make a wage comparable to what my "education level "and experience would bring me in any non union company 20 years of continuing education and experience The only thing that drew me to Ford in the first place was the pension and benefits not to mention no longer traveling all over for service calls. M :reading: y home was a wise choice as for my tesphe it was none the worse I assure you as I have made several very wise investments over the years . I have nearly enough college credits now to qualify for my engineering degree to go along with my associates degree in liberal arts . Also just a little reminder this is an employee forum is it not?

I love it when some un-knowing pompous self serving ass makes grand assumptions about someones way of life without even asking. I can not say what my brothers and sisters do with their money but I for one do not live a lavish life of luxury. My home cost $163,000 I used a good deal of my tesphe to put down on it . I do not own a new vehicle my wife drives a 94 , and my work vehicle is a used 05. I do not own a flat screen T.V. nor do I have a T.V. in every room. I make every effort to save as much money as I can every week and put as much as possible away each year toward college for my 3 kids . I do not nor does my wife dress fancy I personally wont pay more then $20.00 dollars for a pair of shoes . So in closing instead of making yourself look like an ass maybe next time you might consider asking someone how they live rather then ass- U-Me-Ing. Jerk

Actually I work at a Ford plant what I was trying to say was, are they going to tell people from ach plant, that they will only get the lower tier wage at a ford plant when the ach plant closes or is sold or will they be pushing company wide seniority. It just seems we will be having alot of extra emplyees very soon.

I was wondering are they going to ask ach employees to take the new lower wage in exchange for a job? what about how they want skilled trades to take over machining departments?, how many pissed off techs will there be then? What about the so called trades umbrellas? It's no secret that management hates skilled trades and that they would love to have all trades doing production and maintenanace. And last of all why in the hell do they need 120 days to determine who is core and who isn't the way it reads they can call any job that isnt actually assembling the car as non core . tell us the truth up front no B.S. please we are all adults we can take the truth for god sake. I'm just physically ill from all this crap

Spoken like a true blue company man. I for one as well as many of my union brothers actually have a rather extensive resume . I worked my way up in job shops on the outside ,working in unsafe conditions.I continuously had to take classes in robotics ,resistance welding, metallurgy etc in order to gain in value as an employee . I always had an objective that was to gain enough skill and time to be hired in as a U.A.W. Journeyman at a major manufacturer. I paid my dues in low wages lousy or no benefits and constant belittling from company lackeys. I will admit with my resume and education I can go else where and easily find a job that pays close to what I make at Ford. But I like my job and I make every effort to do it to the best of my ability everyday. I believe Ford is a great company one that has been left in some very in-capable hands over the years.This company has turned profits in the recent past under our current wage and benefit structure and can again. The only true problems that Ford has is public perception and a lack of desirable models. I ask this should the company lower the bar and shoot for 3rd or 4th best just because they do not want to be true innovators anymore? Or will they finally run out of excuses when they get the concessions they are seeking from hourly? I think not, they are rapidly running out of excuses and the markets will be their undertaker

I have been giving a great deal of consideration to the 2 tier wage structure and the future ramifications that it will bring. When you pick up the paper or turn on the news all they say is what about the company. My question is there anyone left in this country that cares about the average working men and women anymore? Do they realize we have family's and bills and hopes and dreams ? They only say we are over paid and we need to take pay and benefit cuts . Why should it be that the working people who only do whats asked of them have to pay for the mistakes made by those in positions of authority?I love my country and the ideals it was founded on but I am sick to death of the way it is being run into the ground. This was a great nation of innovative leaders in Manufacturing and technology,but our leaders and the greedy heads of corporations have sold our American dream to any third world nation that they can exploit and profit from. When will the average majority in this country stand up and say enough is enough? when will we take back what is ours? I have 3 children and I sincerely fear for what their future will be in this country. I understand some of the changes are necessary but what they are offering in the latest contracts to G.M. and Chrysler will only hasten the end of middle class America . This can only widen the gap between the haves and the have not's with nobody left in the middle.I cannot in good conscience vote yes for any contract that will further degrade my union and my country. thanks for taking the time to read my rantings

Why would they ever be straight with us ? They enjoy mind f@#$%^& us all to much

I have a 2005 fx4 great truck but recently the paint on the radio buttons is peeling off . Doe's anyone else have this problem? my radio is the 6 cd in dash model. I was really surprised that the buttons would be painted and not molded it looks really bad.