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

[Kos]

You think an assembly line worker working 40 hours is making $136000??

The current all in labor cost for a UAW worker at the big 3 is $65/hr. So working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year (assuming holidays and vacation covers weeks not worked) total comp is $135,200. This does include benefits costs so figure the wages portion is in the $80-$90 range. This assumes zero overtime, which is unlikely.

UAW is asking for a 40% wage increase over the life of the contract, a 32hr work week with the same level of compensation that they currently get for 40hrs and overtime starting at hour 33. Ford has offered a 19% raise, GM 18% and I have not heard what Stellantis has offered. No changes in work hours. Jim Farley said in an interview that if Ford granted everything the UAW asked for it would push total comp to $300k per person. I’m assuming he’s figuring people still work a minimum of 40/hrs with 8 hrs of that in OT to get to that #.

In comparison, Toyota averages $55/hr in total comp while Tesla pays $44.

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[Kos]

The unions are embolden because they currently own the government.

That worked out great for the railroad unions that were forced to accept a deal they didn’t want.

 

[JZZ]

Just spit balling here but it just seems they don’t want to work. Many years ago I worked for a Boeing Sub pulling 14-16 hr days 6 days a week. Not a fan of Unions glad we didn’t have them. The people that wanted to work showed up and planes/sub components got built. The double and triple time pay was great. Seems to me the Unions take more then the trouble there worth. End of the day Ford is still going to maxamize profits and pass along the cost to consumers. With inflation out of control this is just another reason to buy a foreign car made for a reasonable price.

Agreed never been a fan of unions, worked 35 yrs in roofing Mfg as both hourly and salaried mid management easily avg 60hrs weekly 40 weeks a yr. I think the 32 hrs is just a bargaining chip unions are scared about electric vehicles which need less employees/union members and dues. But unions had to concede alot in 07,08 when everybody in the industry was going bellyup mostly due to combination of piss more management and greedy unions funny how history just keeps repeating

 

[KyTruckPlant]

My question for union members is- are you seriously ok with the union protecting those workers who are consistently poor performers and/or are consistently late/out? You’re ok with Joe getting the same pay as you when he has very poor workmanship and a lousy attendance record and is lazy as hell while you are there everyday and work hard with pride in what you do? You’re ok with a new employee making the same as you with nowhere near the skills or experience as you who has worked in the plant for 10 years?

These are things I could NEVER stand for and why I question unions. Why would any one with a good work ethic and pride in what you do allow the union to take money from you to protect the lazy ass malcontents that every plant/job/business has?

No, I am NOT ok with any of it. Every bit of that I have complained about for the last 20 years. My first 11 years I was young and kind of oblivious to it all, but now, it makes my blood boil sometimes.

40 hours pay for 32 hours work? Really? Getting paid a day a week for nothing? Thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, and it makes me wonder if they even have public relations team to think this stuff through beforehand and tell them the public will just think we will look lazy and greedy.

Every single person I've spoke to in my plant feels the same. That was just stupid. So when yall go all pitchforks and torches on us for that, we worker bees had nothing to do with that, as far as I can tell.

 

[tock13]

Will this strike affect parts availability? My 2 week old Bronco has been sitting at the dealer all this week waiting for front axel part and a gateway control module…I think that’s what they called it. I feel it’s a never ending waiting game with Ford.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

I really don't support either side, Union or Right to Work, both have pros/cons, but you can't blanket Union as covering lazy workers and promoting bad quality, yes, a bad worker will cause the issues but proper leadership and management trump a bad worker anytime!

Where I work we have a Union, I'm a Supervisor so I'm exempt but it's never stopped me from properly disciplining a worker for poor work. Now there are extra steps and these take out of my day but if I ignore it then I'm the lazy manager that condones lazy workers and the good workers ultimately either become lazy or leave.

Pull the UAW agreement and do some reading and see the steps/procedures, there's plenty on both sides to protect the company and the good workers as well as the methods to address lazy employees (but not lazy management).

Fair points and I get it. I was a plant manager at a non-union plant for almost 15 years. Being able to talk directly to my associates without a rep shadowing me was productive. We had an open door policy so any issues/concerns people had- they came straight to us. I guess the vast majority were happy as someone tried to start looking into a union once and it was overwhelmingly shut down by the other employees. Of course the instigator was an attendance problem and was on their last warning. But yes- if management doesn’t effectively and efficiently manage plant issues- it doesn’t matter if it’s Union or non union.

 

[Squatch]

His lunatic EV agenda will bankrupt the company faster than UAW

Farley actually has walked back the EV push and he said that he wants to promote customer choice which means more hybrids for now.

I believe the tax credit cap is $1.5B per manufacturer (200,000 @ $7500) so why don't we use that to research better technology--halt all EV production--and then license the end result to US manufacturers? Instead we are wasting the precious and rare raw materials used in making the current EV batteries.

The unions need to be more efficiently managed but you will always have a free-rider problem. That exists in every organization and in the general population as well--you just have to try and minimize it as much as possible.

 

[TXBronco1313]

No, I am NOT ok with any of it. Every bit of that I have complained about for the last 20 years. My first 11 years I was young and kind of oblivious to it all, but now, it makes my blood boil sometimes.

40 hours pay for 32 hours work? Really? Getting paid a day a week for nothing? Thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, and it makes me wonder if they even have public relations team to think this stuff through before telling the public that it will just make us look lazy and greedy.

Every single person I've spoke to in my plant feels the same. That was just stupid.

Amen to that

 

[Kos]

If the UAW’s ploy is to strategically strike and make their funds last, maybe the big three should speed things up and shut all plants down. If this is going to severely interrupt their production then why not? Call the bluff and when the strike funds run out and people can’t make ends meet- bam- a deal gets made.

Ford and the other Big 3 have to pay their bills too. If they shut everything down they start burning through their cash reserves almost as quickly as the UAW does.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

Ford and the other Big 3 have to pay their bills too. If they shut everything down they start burning through their cash reserves almost as quickly as the UAW does.

Agreed BUT if the UAW wants to drag this out long term, I wonder how the numbers crunch. Do they lose more in the “trickle down” effect or can they do better nipping it in the bud and forcing a deal sooner by shutting down? Either way the bottom line is getting squeezed.

 

[geargeek]

For everyone's sake, I hope the parties can quickly move to an agreement.

The Teamsters have said they will stand with the UAW and not cross picket lines if UAW strikes. I would expect this to have an impact on vehicles shipping from MAP.

Unfortunately for me, my Bronco has been built and 'released to carrier' (per Ford Marketing phone call today), but does not appear to have been assigned to a rail car, so I'm probably out of luck...my original reservation date was 7/5/21...thought I was about to get my Bronco, but now I'm left hanging.

I'd appreciate it if anyone has any additional insight into whether or not there is a chance I might still get my vehicle while the UAW is on strike at MAP.

 

[indio22]

My question for union members is- are you seriously ok with the union protecting those workers who are consistently poor performers and/or are consistently late/out? You’re ok with Joe getting the same pay as you when he has very poor workmanship and a lousy attendance record and is lazy as hell while you are there everyday and work hard with pride in what you do? You’re ok with a new employee making the same as you with nowhere near the skills or experience as you who has worked in the plant for 10 years?

These are things I could NEVER stand for and why I question unions. Why would any one with a good work ethic and pride in what you do allow the union to take money from you to protect the lazy ass malcontents that every plant/job/business has?

The problem is you're either under the boot of the org leadership, or the knucklehead union leaders and their rabble. The warden or the inmates running the asylum - take your pick.

My wife is a teacher and you are kind of screwed either way. In her case it's even worse, because their union leadership was in bed with the school superintendent, and helped get them a bad contract. It's so messed up, there is steam coming out of my head just thinking about it.

 

[Kos]

Agreed BUT if the UAW wants to drag this out long term, I wonder how the numbers crunch. Do they lose more in the “trickle down” effect or can they do better nipping it in the bud and forcing a deal sooner by shutting down? Either way the bottom line is getting squeezed.

Oh, it definitely works out in favor of the automakers. They have access to credit the union doesn’t. Just saying it’s not in their financial best interest

 

[Snowdogyyz]

The problem is you're either under the boot of the org leadership, or the knucklehead union leaders and their rabble. The warden or the inmates running the asylum - take your pick.

My wife is a teacher and you are kind of screwed either way. In her case it's even worse, because their union leadership was in bed with the school superintendent, and helped get them a bad contract. It's so messed up, there is steam coming out of my head just thinking about it.

Very true. Definitely a pick your poison scenario.

 

[Kos]

Will this strike affect parts availability? My 2 week old Bronco has been sitting at the dealer all this week waiting for front axel part and a gateway control module…I think that’s what they called it. I feel it’s a never ending waiting game with Ford.

Might actually improve the situation. Parts production hasn’t been shut down and now the assembly line isn’t consuming them.

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