UAW goes on strike @ MAP Bronco / Ranger factory [ADMIN WARNING: NO INSULTS, NO POLITICS]

[JohnnyBronco]

While the UAW pick of MAP as a target hurts Ford, my opinion is their selection of Toledo for Stellantis work stoppage actually helps Jeep and Jeep dealers who have the largest inventory of unsold vehicles. This should allow Jeep to eliminate their sales discounts ....

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[STONEWALKER]

Today was my “blend day”

So sorry bro, do you know if it’s coming from Ft Wayne or the Rouge plant?

also, Soylent Green is people!

 

[JohnnyBronco]

If a 10% added cost roughly only raised 10% that would be ideal situation but I’m sure the actual raised value percentage is and will be much higher unfortunately. As a basic example if a cost of a good at wholesale is $10 and retail price is set at $25 it’s safe to say if the wholesale cost went up to $12 the ideal for consumers would be the new retail price would only be $27 but realistically the new retail price would likely be $30. Thus putting a higher inflated cost on goods.

Im good with UAW getting a raise but must be a reasonable ask and amount. I think in all this some UAW know what manufacture’s cost to produce vehicle is and they see how inflated their msrp pricing is in comparison. Could be why they used reasoning that they want to afford vehicles they themselves build but all this manufacture ADM rolled into msrp and dealer ADM is what really has inflated the cost for them or the common US worker.

Somewhere I saw a number that no more than 28% of vehicle cost is labor but around the web the industry reports look at about 15% while the UAW claims it is only 10%. OTOH all in average reported labor costs per hour (not just what workers make but all benefits and supporting infrastructure) runs from $60-$80/ hour.

Realistically who would not expect UAW line workers to make less than house painters and building maintenance which around Cleveland we start at $30 and up. But we require a full 40 hours of work for 40 hours of pay

 

[BCA]

Which is why Ford have been investing and moving some of its production to Mexico and Canada for the past 5 years. It's becoming slowly unsustainable to produce cars in the U.S. while maintaining a fair price for the consumer.

Union wages is what killed Visteon (Fords spun off parts plants). Couldn’t compete with the other suppliers, after bankruptcy, they just make electronics.

 

[huey]

I don't think the starting nor current positions of the UAW are tenable. That said, wouldn't you be asking for significant raises, without fear of being fired, if:

• You agreed to a prior wage freeze to help keep your company from going bankrupt
• Your company was using profit to do stock buy backs rather than increase your pay (i.e. benfiting shareholders over employees)
• Hadn't received any cost of living increases in pay for some time

For comparison the company I work for is larger than the UAW by roughly 15%
When the 08 / 09 meltdown happened one of the big reveals was how much the UAW labour and retirement package was costing the OEM's. In fact the retirement costs were what nearly bankrupt the industry. That is why the concessions and give backs were needed. The UAW total compensation was not tenable.

The company I work for survived because the employees and retirement packages are in line with what the market can bear. Every year our company performs a study of current wages in the area of the division you work for to be sure your wage is competitive, and our wages never go down

So the answer is no, I would / did not have to ask for a raise as my paycheck never dipped. It did not dip because the payscale and retirement package never exceeded what the market could support. The UAW is their own worst enemy

During the great recession our wage levels were frozen with no wage increases and our profit sharing was shelved for a time. The company cut spending and rode out the shitshow. The company still paid the execs well though their bonuses were reduced, but not eliminated. All was returned when our company returned to profitability and we did not have to go on strike to get it back.

This is a model of a successful company that does not want or need a union

 

[Bigfx]

Why does everyone take issue with a CEO’s pay? I have no problem with their pay. They have very tough jobs with tons of pressure from labor all the way up the chain to investors and directors. Yet, so many of us are ok with an athlete making $20-30 million a year to hit, throw, catch a ball. There are pitchers in the MLB and quarterbacks in the NFL that make $500,000/ start. How are we ok with this and pissed at the CEO’s? It costs me over $1000 to take my family of 4 to an O’s game in August because of their salaries. The big three aren’t going to absorb these cost increases. They are going to pass them down to us. Making my salary worth even less.

I think IMHO the fact your salary or anyone else’s is worth less is more of a problem with our current society. In the 60’s single income households were possible and that meant someone staying home with kids and the development of strong family foundation. A lot of families have both parents working 40 hours leaving kids to their own devices and eroding the family structure. The truth is inflation has always been here it was just propped up by zero percent financing for 90 years. We are watching the eroding of the middle class and the rebirth of the oligarchy that we dealt with in the early 1920’s.

 

[huey]

I got the exact same thing. Went into production on Thursday, went on strike Thursday night. Just my luck.

Here's hoping this is short lived and you get scheduled for production soon

 

[MNBigfoot]

Grew up in a single income household when that was pretty typical, the thing was we had one car for the family, we didn't spend $2-4 for beverages at connivence stores, we ate out maybe once a month, didn't have 4 cell phone in the house, we didn't buy $200 concert tickets, we went to the doctor only if you lost a body part, we mowed our own grass, shoveled our own driveways, shingled and painted our own homes etc. I suspect many could raise many could raise a family on a single income if they went back to a Sixties-Seventies one income lifestyle.

 

[Markubis]

Why does everyone take issue with a CEO’s pay? I have no problem with their pay. They have very tough jobs with tons of pressure from labor all the way up the chain to investors and directors. Yet, so many of us are ok with an athlete making $20-30 million a year to hit, throw, catch a ball. There are pitchers in the MLB and quarterbacks in the NFL that make $500,000/ start. How are we ok with this and pissed at the CEO’s? It costs me over $1000 to take my family of 4 to an O’s game in August because of their salaries. The big three aren’t going to absorb these cost increases. They are going to pass them down to us. Making my salary worth even less.

I'm not ok with athletes getting that much either. They don't need that much. They only want it to stroke their egos.

 

[Kos]

A rising tide raises all ships. These union deals literally help all working class Americans. The uaw has increased the standard of living for so many industries and it’s workers. Unions protect the people from oligarchy.

This is the same folley that the whole $15 minimum wage movement falls for.

- I get a raise and have more disposable income so I can buy things like boats and Broncos and go on vacations

- You see that I got a raise and demand your own raise which you get because the company you work for sees that market wages

- The guy who sells the boats and Broncos and vacation homes sees that there are now two people who can buy these things. He raises his prices until one of us is no longer willing to pay his prices (supply vs demand).

- A year later inflation has consumed our entire wage increase. Meanwhile our bosses are reporting record profits so you demand a raise to curtail their greed.

- Your boss gives you a raise that’s a small fraction of their increased profits

- rinse, wash, repeat

 

[Wardognal]

I think IMHO the fact your salary or anyone else’s is worth less is more of a problem with our current society. In the 60’s single income households were possible and that meant someone staying home with kids and the development of strong family foundation. A lot of families have both parents working 40 hours leaving kids to their own devices and eroding the family structure. The truth is inflation has always been here it was just propped up by zero percent financing for 90 years. We are watching the eroding of the middle class and the rebirth of the oligarchy that we dealt with in the early 1920’s.

I was born in the 50s. Both of my parents worked, and that wasn’t uncommon. Of those single house hold incomes typically consisted of a single car(no air, manual windows, no power steering, ect), small homes without central air. The point being that life in the 60s was more simple and cheaper. Our modern conveniences cost. More vehicles, portable phones, computers, larger homes has improved our lives and increased our annual cost of living. My point is that we while our cost of living has increased, we have made the choice to have two family incomes to acquire most life improvements. Both parents can work without eroding the family structure.

 

[AZ_BRONC]

Cost of labor goes up, so do car prices. Ford‘s decision is between agreeing to union demands and increasing vehicle costs, or finding ways to keep or reduce labor costs, such as plants in Mexico or increased robotics and automation.

In an era of global production and shipping and AI/robotics, this may not end well for union members.

 

[Dunning Kruger]

I really don't know where I stand on this. I don't like strikes. That being said, the UAW has some concerns about EVs and losing jobs to make way for EV production. In that regard, they have my sympathies. As I have said before, EVs have a place, and that market should emerge organically, and not with the help of federal oversight. In a true market driven world, EVs would never replace ICEs, and would likely be a niche market for commuting and novelty vehicles.

The 36 percent increase over four years is a lot. But inflation is real, and people are starting to feel it. I hope those UAW workers realize how they vote matters.

I hope the government doesn't get involved. Government rarely helps. Let the Big Three and the UAW work it out. That probably means higher prices in the long run.

 

[Tkr2good]

my production date has been all over the place. finally, it was suppose to be this week and already pushed back two weeks. at this point, i don't care anymore. I see a ton of broncos for sale on the dealer lot (of course with markups).. they had time to make those but not for me waiting nearly three years. I am car shopping this week. Even with the Tacoma getting remodeled...might just go for an older one.

 

[Sherminiator]

As I have said before, EVs have a place, and that market should emerge organically, and not with the help of federal oversight. In a true market driven world, EVs would never replace ICEs, and would likely be a niche market for commuting and novelty vehicles.

The problem with a true market driven world is that the companies driving it wouldn't change because it is far easier to keep doing the same thing because of development costs. Even with competition it is somewhat limited and what can be done with ICE is pretty much at its pinnacle of development.

What is driving EVs is the reduction of CO2 emissions, point blank, without develing into the political/climate change discussion.

Other governments/markets are manidating changes that are forcing switching over to EVs and in five years time, developing any new ICE only products is downright stupid because you can't get your investment back. Auto makers work anywhere from 36 months to 5-6 years out, so what is being worked on now won't be seen till 2028MY or later.

Then consider the fact that EVs are cheaper and easier to build then ICE, manufactures are looking at more profit too, which is appealing to them.

The biggest issue with EV adoption is getting pricing down to what ICE costs and a better charging infrastructure.

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