Concerns about potential Ford strike

[sangiovese]

The current UAW contract with Ford expires in mid-September. A strike authorization vote is taking place this week and there is 95% support among workers for a strike. There may be a contract agreement before the mid-Sept strike deadline, but this looming strike is unsettling to workers and customers alike.

I put in an order in late July with a promised 8-10 week lead time. That would put the build date just before or just after a strike.

I'm having second thoughts about accepting a vehicle that is built while the rank and file are riled up over a possible strike. It's possible that the workers are distracted, angry, vindictive, etc. It also seems risky to accept a vehicle that is built just after the strike ends, since there may be more defects and glitches while production ramps back up. Not to mention residual hard feelings among the workers.

What do you think? Am I right to be concerned? Or is there enough automation in the Explorer factory that human errors (or worse) are pretty much taken out of the equation?

 

[herebyproxy]

Let 'em strike

Then replace all the SOBs

 

[Spengracin]

Who's programming the robots. Think about it!

 

[IZwack]

What do you think? Am I right to be concerned? Or is there enough automation in the Explorer factory that human errors (or worse) are pretty much taken out of the equation?

As you may know, errors during the assembly process is not always caused by humans working the assembly line. In addition to this, we see quite a bit of threads on the forum with quirky symptoms (mostly on the electronics side) in the 2011+ Explorer sub-forum. These oddities in the product leads one to believe that, somewhere along the way, things are "falling through the cracks" and that the QA process isn't at the level where it needs to be. This means that there probably should be more (not less) human involvement somewhere in the process from the design of the component(s) all the way to the end (QA testing of the entire vehicle). So, IMO, I think you have every right to be concerned for those reasons you mentioned, the odd threads that come up every now and then, and since this generation of Explorer is more expensive than the first or the second generation.

Then replace all the SOBs

Easier said than done - for so many reasons. One example: the resources (time, money) it takes to train one employee to perform a specific task - plus the time it takes for that employee to "ramp up" to the same level as the person he/she has replaced.

 

[FordService]

Hey guys,
I just wanted to reassure all of you that for all the employees in our plants, quality is the top priority. The dedicated men and women of the UAW are committed to producing quality vehicles and are committed to Ford’s success. We are confident in the build quality of the vehicles produced during these negotiations.

Cory

 

[mattadams]

I hope they learn something from the last time the UAW went on strike, except it was GM... strikers went on strike because they wanted more benefits, more pay, more job security, and what they got was at least 1/3 of them being laid off just so some of them could return back to work, most at a reduced rate from what they were making before the strike. Unions are great at telling a lot of people they are worth more than they really are and if they do go on strike, there are a lot of skilled, qualified people looking for work in this country...

 

[Spengracin]

I agree matta, I'm in county position, that has all unions for public sector, at least in Ca the past 3 years, we have taken 26% pay cut to include benefits at 15%. Same old story, management no cuts, the middle class takes in the-------ss as usual.
The latest ploy is to take the over or impose the contract not agreed on.

Oh yeah quality control, I think most people want to o the right thing, so I don't think they will jeopardize a name brand just because of negotiations. With that said they have there hands full just in a normal state of operation.

Since by delivery yesterday, it's been at the dealer more than it's been home. Just picked it up again @ 8:00pm pat. Mine was a rush assembly I guess lots of little Quality Issues. More later.