tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post4859998603030759156..comments2024-03-16T19:05:35.998-04:00Comments on The Valley Report: Ford Cuts & How They Affect YOUBrian Tuckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781615936697622206noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-37022818347209933442008-11-22T05:27:00.000-05:002008-11-22T05:27:00.000-05:00What I find very repulsive is that the very people...What I find very repulsive is that the very people who blast, bitch about, and rip the people making 50to 100 K working at Ford Motor Company are the same people who have never worked a day in their entire lives. Interestingly, that many of these people have never worked in a factory, assembly line, picked beans, or did much of anything physical to sustain themselves. <BR/><BR/>Like the multinationals, the believe that this nation of workers, citizen soldiers, and average people should work for peanuts so they can have the cheapest car they can possibly have. That way they can constantly complain about something on a vehicle that some of them are not smart enough to change the spark plugs or much of anything else. <BR/><BR/>I would hate to see half of these people bitching about the Ford workers, Iron Workers, actually get out there and run a press, fix a car, manufacture something, build something, work construction or anything else. <BR/><BR/>Its easy to criticize someone when you sit behind a computer 8 hours a day in your dainty little office and never have worked for a living. It seems that Louisville much like a great percentage of America has forgotten the work ethic and backbone that made this nation great. It was the citizen soldier, the worker, the farmer, etc that made this nation great. Not a bunch of petty bureaucrats with little to do but pass silly laws that affect the livelihoods of millions. <BR/><BR/>Abramson has spent years trying to trash the community and he has largely succeeded in robbing the city of a lot of its industry. I was talking to a local welding shop owner today about the economy and he was talking about how much we miss the manufacturing base around here and how it affects not only his business but others. <BR/><BR/>But to listen to Abramson and Joe Reagan, one would think that Louisville is booming with business, professional, and technical jobs. Meanwhile a great deal of the city is based on low wage box flipping jobs that pay low wages and uses part time help. Not to mention a service industry sector that brings nothing more than 7 to 10 dollar an hour jobs. Hardly a recipe for economic success. <BR/><BR/>I think that Francene needs to get off her high horse and learn what a real days labor really is. Its rather easy to blast working people and people working their butts off day to day making a living producing your food, building your furniture, your car, your truck, your house, the roads, etc. I could go on and on about that. <BR/><BR/>What the elite class and those ripping working class Americans are doing is to cheapen our labor and our lives for their benefit of buying cheap inferior Chinese made junk produced by slave labor at 10 cents to a dollar an hour. <BR/><BR/>This sweatshop phenomena is not limited to China however. It happens in Pakistan where kids make soccer balls for 9 cents an hour. Indonesia where the average wage is only a few hundred dollars a year. Vietnam where the average income is under a 1000 dollars a year. Mexico where its under 4000 a year and probably less. <BR/><BR/>Its ok for Francene and her ilk to wear the cheap clothes produced by slave labor and child labor by the multinational corporations and sold at China Mart or anywhere else. The same goes for every major retailer in this area selling cheap and slave labor goods produced in some sweatshop in Asia, Middle East, and South and Central America. <BR/><BR/>So when they buy that 50 dollar overpriced shirt just remember that it put an American worker out of work. It also is overpriced while the company that makes it pays their store help 8 dollars an hour yet still wants premium pricing for their overpriced and ill gotten gains.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-60363946908033170692008-11-21T02:41:00.000-05:002008-11-21T02:41:00.000-05:00So many people get their information from biased s...So many people get their information from biased sources it is impossible for them to know the truth about Ford or a host of other areas. The media has been proactive in helping ruin the reputations of the hardest working people in the City and the Country.<BR/><BR/>Look at Toyota for example. They pay on average the same wages and benefits that the BIG 3 do and until recently were doing just fine. The union wages and benefits were a standard for others to follow and Toyota for one had to match the pay or not get quality workers. This was a win win for Toyota and its workers.<BR/><BR/>Toyota was able to keep workers because of matching pay and benefits that greatly enhanced their ability to build quality cars. Turnover is a huge concern for companies and nowhere more feared than in the auto industry.<BR/><BR/>Think about it. You trust your life and the lives of your families when you buckle them in an automobile. I would think most would like to be able to trust that it was made safely. When you continue to turnover employees, like temp agencies do, that quality and the safety standards we rely on go out the window.<BR/><BR/>The real costs differential is for retirees. After 30 years of working there Brian is right you are a broken down shell of what you once were. You trade your body for a chance at a better way for your family. I worked there almost 8 years and had 2 major surgeries as a result of the job.<BR/><BR/>The UAW and the Big 3 recognize this and bargain in good faith understanding the sacrifices made by the workers in this regard.<BR/><BR/>Toyota typically dumps their problem on the taxpayer. As such Toyota could care less about their employees n this regard and we should be thankful that Ford and the other Big 3 members take care of their own instead of dumping them on each of us through higher taxes.<BR/><BR/>One thing to note however. While a candidate for Mayor in 2006 I could not believe that Abramson waited 8 months to finally decide to meet with Ford after their announcement of the Way Forward plan. His arrogance in not doing so lost any goodwill between Ford and the City. The Mayor then had to practically beg for ameeting and even today Ford could care less about meeting with him. They understand he is about theshow not the result. Strike one.<BR/><BR/>He then went on to say that Ford was lying about the STAR program hurting them. Additionally he called out the UAW leadership Rocky Comito and Kirk Gillenwater and called them liars in regards to Ford. He did this at the UAW hall on Fern Valley Rd. When does anyone allow someone into their "home" and get away with treating them like this? Again goodwill thrown right out the window. Strike 2.<BR/><BR/>After all was said and done the UAW STILL endorsed Abramson for Mayor. Most could not understand the logic of this then or now. Unofficially it was said Abramson agreed to buy some Ford cars that is why he got the endorsement. Of course any of us would have done that it is called supporting your local industry. He has proven he is not pro labor, as so many supposed Democrats today, and yet still gets backed. <BR/><BR/>Strike 3.<BR/><BR/>Our troubles today are a direct result of this type of fear of retribution that have allowed us to be used as pawns at the whimof the Abramson machine and the local rubberstamps that allow it.<BR/><BR/>When labor finally stands together we will see the manufacturing base grow once again in this Country. Until then the hypocrisy will continue to divide and ultimately conquer the true labor force in our Country and our City.Louisville News and Politicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06304053439681295941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-13296699951787788212008-11-20T16:16:00.000-05:002008-11-20T16:16:00.000-05:00The financial incentives that Ford receives in Ky ...The financial incentives that Ford receives in Ky are not large ones, and the taxes on employee wages more than offset any state incentive.<BR/><BR/>People like Francene on 84 WHAS are trying to dumb this down to the point where people blame the line worker for all Ford's problems, and it is working. She said today, "I don't care" if you lose your job or health insurance. Will she care if she loses her advertising? Being an elitist like Francene keeps you from worrying about the plight of others. Today when trying to put herself in the place of a line worker, she mumbled something about demanding Cuban Cigars and diamonds. Out of touch, and unable to speak on the subject. <BR/><BR/>Ford motor Co. made $7.2 billion dollars profit in 1999 while employees enjoyed better benefits than they do now. Workers have done their part.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the comments, everyone.Brian Tuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07781615936697622206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-6235462066041571902008-11-20T15:32:00.000-05:002008-11-20T15:32:00.000-05:00I took the education buyout from Ford two years a...I took the education buyout from Ford two years ago because I realized that even with 18 years seniority I would never see 65 working there. This was not the fault of line workers but management. They still don't get it. <BR/><BR/>They tried to replace me with a robot that was 4 foot too tall to work in the building. They only spent 10 months and $2.4 million on the thing. I told them it wouldn't work the day I first saw it. That was not the first time. So sad to be so right.<BR/><BR/>While I hope Ford can struggle along long enough that one day I might get some of my retirement, I'm not counting on it.<BR/><BR/>Let's just hope other employers realize how good, dedicated, etc those workers really are.<BR/><BR/>And Francene has no clue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-9784726705899375892008-11-20T15:05:00.000-05:002008-11-20T15:05:00.000-05:00I understand your concerns. I have good friends wh...I understand your concerns. I have good friends who work for Ford and it pains me to see what they are having to go through just to get by. Having said that, I still disagree with your premise that everything needs to be done to keep Ford viable. This city and the Commonwealth have given Ford more incentives to stay than I care to remember. Each time these companys are given incentives, it costs me through higher taxes. Heck, even the school board has the power to raise my property taxes on a whim. How that's constitutional I'll never know. I enjoy your blog and appreciate what you are trying to do for the Southwest end of town. I'm afraid we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one topic however. Besides, it may be a moot point soon anyway. I read earlier this morning that the Chinese are setting themselves up to try and purchase the Big 3. I bet Congress would block it but who knows. China owns most of our debt, if they want it bad enough, I bet they'll get it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-39594319540107374302008-11-20T14:34:00.000-05:002008-11-20T14:34:00.000-05:00You may not care NOW, but you WILL care when this ...You may not care NOW, but you WILL care when this city's financial position causes it to raise your taxes. Ford employees and Ford Motor are the "Holy Grail" in this town. The statistics are there for you to see.Brian Tuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07781615936697622206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-88731683122155610812008-11-20T14:30:00.000-05:002008-11-20T14:30:00.000-05:00I do feel bad for the workers who are suffering th...I do feel bad for the workers who are suffering through all of this. However, Ford isn't the holy grail of employers. The writing has been on the wall since the 1970s. Take a look at these little gems • May 21, 1979 [People]<BR/>• Vol. 11 <BR/>• No. 20 <BR/>Ralph Moody May Travel the Road to Riches in a Diesel Car That Gets 84 Miles Per Gallon<BR/><BR/>Moody's Magic Machine [Time Magazine]<BR/>Monday, May. 14, 1979<BR/>• <BR/>Into Washington last week tootled a brightly painted car that, its builders claim, had made the more than 800-mile drive from Oak Hill, Fla., on only twelve gallons of diesel fuel. Ralph Moody, 61, and Mike Shetley, 36, two former employees of the Ford racing team, had come to show Henry Jackson's Senate Energy Committee the converted 1979 Mercury Capri that they contend gets more than 57.2 m.p.g. in city driving and nearly 80 m.p.g. on the highway. They say that it also accelerates from 0 to 60 in 17 seconds and has a top speed of 105 m.p.h.<BR/><BR/>NBC Evening News for<BR/>Saturday, Apr 28, 1979<BR/>________________________________________<BR/>Headline: 84 Miles Per Gallon Car<BR/>Abstract: (Studio) Report with regard to automobile that gets 84 miles per gallon introduced <BR/>REPORTER: Jessica Savitch <BR/>(Oak Hill, Florida) Federal officials said looking at car, built by Mike Shetley and Ralph Moody. Automotive professor Bill Gordon reported to have tested-car. Offers by builders for the rts. to the car noted. [SBA chief cnsl. Milton STEWART - speaks about trying to help builders through red tape.] [EPA official Ralph STAHLMAN - comments on car.] <BR/>REPORTER: Ike Seamans ....<BR/><BR/>So, no I don't care if the Big 3 go the way of the covered wagon, their greed created this problem. Again, my prayers go out to the workers, not just here but accross the country. As usual, the workers get screwed and the execs get their bonuses and move on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-9346020950441170202008-11-19T19:51:00.000-05:002008-11-19T19:51:00.000-05:00I suggest anyone who's livelyhood would be affecte...I suggest anyone who's livelyhood would be affected by the loss of Ford, GM, or Chrysler also contact their state representatives and let them know! I also suggest they contact any sponsors of local Radio and/or TV shows that are broadcasting anti-job saving rhetoric (i.e. Francene)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6152246636536154455.post-35783963779237175512008-11-19T19:45:00.000-05:002008-11-19T19:45:00.000-05:00excellent Food for Thought!excellent Food for Thought!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com