pmooret Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Does anybody know the last time we got an increase in our retirement's Life Income Benefit? Decker? Anyone? Two, three contracts ago? How many? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark270 Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 2003, was last time i know about, prolly wont get one this year either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decker Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) I think you are correct Dark. It maybe the contract before but not after 2003. Every year we went without an increase in our base rates that was the untold savings for the company in more ways than one. Those years without increases not only saved the company on current wages but way down the road a savings in reduced or stagnant benefits paid to retiree`s. Then "we" helped the company pay the company's shortages of the contractual agreement on that amount the company pays into the investments for the retirement funds. If you are going to use investment money for everything other than its intended fund, what better way to show the fund is being caught up or balanced then to reduce the company`s payouts of the funds benefits and then all but brag the company is catching up the shortage with this payment and that payment. Just like everything else the company reduces benefits to do what? This contract trickery was text book accounting for balancing an obligation with the recipient's helping balance the books. Ahhh reduced cost for the company and good PR. In the mean time someone that took the last incentive to retire did so with no where near a balanced benefit. Same monthly LIB as someone receives 15 years ago annnnd no cost of retires medical benefits to the company. Then out of that same LIB retirees got 15 years ago the retirees get to pay those ever increasing VEBA co pays and no adjustments to the ever increasing cost to live. Sure a good thing the IUAW has accountants on our side of the table. Don`t they? I`m with you Dark, no LIB increase this contract. Edited June 10, 2019 by Decker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayshift Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 It seems the company is playing Major League Baseball while the UAW is playing little league. The company is always looking 3 steps down the road and we are so short sighted and never see it. Look at the Visteon spin off. The company was able to convinced the UAW it was a win for everyone. In the end the company was able to close 13 parts plants, eliminate 20,000+ UAW ford jobs, bring back a few thousand workers and call it a success. The UAW would have never let Ford close all those plants, so Ford played the Visteon shell, a little slight of hand and they fool everyone. Another example is the "pull profit sharing early and call it a contract bonus trick". It's your money, they just give you a no interest loan and call it a signing bonus. We fall for it every time. How about the performance bonus instead of a raise trick. "It's $3000 right, just as good as a raise" and you get it as soon as you sign. The problem is you don't get the 3% raise which add's up to $10,000's of dollars over a 30 years career. Combine that with another performance instead of raise mid contract and another couple next contract and your looking at a ton of cash. In 30 years we are talking more cash than you could carry home in one of those E250 vans we no longer make. How about the benefits of going VEBA. All I see is retires get benefit reduction after benefit reduction and increased co-pays with no recourse. Now we can't even complain to the union because they are the ones making the cuts all while collecting a second income as VEBA board members. Overall the VEBA may be better for the membership, but it has been an economic windfall for those who get a second check for being VEBA advising committee board members. How about giving up the Cost of Living raises. We agreed to give that up assuming we would get it back when things got better. Last time I spoke to a national negotiating team member they acted like they didn't even remember that was once a benefit. How about the "we're going to get rid of the two tier system" mantra we heard before the last two contracts. We ended up with 4 or more tiers. How about all the other things we gave up 3 contracts ago. You don't hear them even talk about getting any of those back. I guess I should be thankful I still have a job. That's what were going to hear in the fall. Ford Motor revenue for the twelve months ending March 31, 2019 was $158.721B Ford Motor annual revenue for 2018 was $160.338B. ($3.7 billion Profit) Ford Motor annual revenue for 2017 was $156.776B (7.3-billion profit) Ford Motor annual revenue for 2016 was $151.800B ($10.4 billion profit) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmooret Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 Thanks for answers and questions, that sounds about right. So many don't understand the structure of our retirement and have no ideal what the Life Income Benefit is but I do know it has fallen behind on raises. The company always uses the divide and conquer method. When the two tier system started the next contracts concentrated on their retirement because it wasn't as good as ours. So over several contracts the 2nd tier has had raises or upgrades to their retirement so that they can catch up to us. But the way that they are catching up is due to legacy now getting any raises. Dayshift, don't forget when we gave up the cola raises the retirees lost their raise on the contracts that was gained by diverting our first cola to the retirees. Not only have future retirees not gotten a raise, past retirees haven't gotten a raise either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmco76 Posted June 22, 2019 Share Posted June 22, 2019 This contract lets get something for the retirees who had the strength, courage, and fortitude to go out on strike to get us most of the benefits we have today. The last company wide strike was in 1976. Most of us have never been on strike. We have only enjoyed the benefits our Grandfathers and Fathers fought for. Let’s demand that our contracts go back to 3 years in length and that are retirees are given more than a $50.00 a year Christmas bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmco76 Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 This contract let’s get something for the retirees who had the strength, courage, and fortitude to go out on strike to get us most of the benefits we have today. The last company wide strike was in 1976. Most of us have never been on strike. We have only enjoyed the benefits our Grandfathers and Fathers fought for. Let’s demand that our contracts go back to 3 years in length and that are retirees are given more than a $50.00 a year Christmas bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatso Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 On 6/22/2019 at 8:50 PM, fmco76 said: This contract let’s get something for the retirees who had the strength, courage, and fortitude to go out on strike to get us most of the benefits we have today. The last company wide strike was in 1976. Most of us have never been on strike. We have only enjoyed the benefits our Grandfathers and Fathers fought for. Let’s demand that our contracts go back to 3 years in length and that are retirees are given more than a $50.00 a year Christmas bonus. I agree with you but I am pessimistic that will happen.On top of that with the massive restructuring Ford is doing in Europe there probably wont be much $$$ left for buyouts in the USA.Oh well, a $1500 signing bonus and a couple words of acknowledgement would be nice too!Plan B is,keep drawing a paycheck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTP'er Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Keep your $1500, and stick your nice words. If that's all we're going to get out of this contract the IUAW CAN GO F THEMSELVES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatso Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 Sic Em,I know local 900 dont "play".Ford came out with quarterly earnings and said that it is spending 22 billion in restructuring Europe and South America.Ford is also losing $$$ in China.I would say the money makin end of the business,namely North America,will be the one`s paying the bil.That means less to go around in this contract.Plan B = keep drawing a paycheck. On 6/27/2019 at 12:59 PM, MTP'er said: Keep your $1500, and stick your nice words. If that's all we're going to get out of this contract the IUAW CAN GO F THEMSELVES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTP'er Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 7 hours ago, Fatso said: Sic Em,I know local 900 dont "play".Ford came out with quarterly earnings and said that it is spending 22 billion in restructuring Europe and South America.Ford is also losing $$$ in China.I would say the money makin end of the business,namely North America,will be the one`s paying the bil.That means less to go around in this contract.Plan B = keep drawing a paycheck. So Fatso, your one of those. One of those that say be glad you have a job. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatso Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 On 7/25/2019 at 1:31 PM, MTP'er said: So Fatso, your one of those. One of those that say be glad you have a job. Yes I am "glad I have a job" and I also want to fight for a better job for those that are coming behind me.Like those that did it for moi.What with all the labels nowadays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 4 hours ago, Fatso said: Yes I am "glad I have a job" and I also want to fight for a better job for those that are coming behind me.Like those that did it for moi.What with all the labels nowadays? Identity politics is the new norm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatso Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 18 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said: Identity politics is the new norm. Easier for the politicians to play 'Divide and Conquer' that way.Also there is never a "middle of the road" solution its always either one extreme or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE JUICE Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 On 6/10/2019 at 11:07 AM, Dayshift said: It seems the company is playing Major League Baseball while the UAW is playing little league. The company is always looking 3 steps down the road and we are so short sighted and never see it. Look at the Visteon spin off. The company was able to convinced the UAW it was a win for everyone. In the end the company was able to close 13 parts plants, eliminate 20,000+ UAW ford jobs, bring back a few thousand workers and call it a success. The UAW would have never let Ford close all those plants, so Ford played the Visteon shell, a little slight of hand and they fool everyone. Another example is the "pull profit sharing early and call it a contract bonus trick". It's your money, they just give you a no interest loan and call it a signing bonus. We fall for it every time. How about the performance bonus instead of a raise trick. "It's $3000 right, just as good as a raise" and you get it as soon as you sign. The problem is you don't get the 3% raise which add's up to $10,000's of dollars over a 30 years career. Combine that with another performance instead of raise mid contract and another couple next contract and your looking at a ton of cash. In 30 years we are talking more cash than you could carry home in one of those E250 vans we no longer make. How about the benefits of going VEBA. All I see is retires get benefit reduction after benefit reduction and increased co-pays with no recourse. Now we can't even complain to the union because they are the ones making the cuts all while collecting a second income as VEBA board members. Overall the VEBA may be better for the membership, but it has been an economic windfall for those who get a second check for being VEBA advising committee board members. How about giving up the Cost of Living raises. We agreed to give that up assuming we would get it back when things got better. Last time I spoke to a national negotiating team member they acted like they didn't even remember that was once a benefit. How about the "we're going to get rid of the two tier system" mantra we heard before the last two contracts. We ended up with 4 or more tiers. How about all the other things we gave up 3 contracts ago. You don't hear them even talk about getting any of those back. I guess I should be thankful I still have a job. That's what were going to hear in the fall. Ford Motor revenue for the twelve months ending March 31, 2019 was $158.721B Ford Motor annual revenue for 2018 was $160.338B. ($3.7 billion Profit) Ford Motor annual revenue for 2017 was $156.776B (7.3-billion profit) Ford Motor annual revenue for 2016 was $151.800B ($10.4 billion profit) Best post I've read on here. After 20 years, I guess you almost become numb to the b.s. we go through every contract. Reading this goes to show how the union is always two steps behind with EVERYTHING. Here we are again in the same boat, and I'm sure we'll hear the same excuses...JUST BE GLAD WE HAVE A JOB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatso Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 Nailed it JUICE,,,,,just be lucky you have any job at all and if you want it better for yourself better make sure that narcissitic BOSSMAN likes you.Back in the 80`s some of these bosses would be outnumbered by hourly in some remote part of the plant and well respect would be earned that's all I can say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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