FORD Forcing employees

[bmwpower]

Hey guys! I was watching CNN when i heard a headline about Ford now forcing their employees to drive a Ford car to work or else they are not allowed to park in the factory parking lot. Now most Ford employees do drive Ford cars since they do get a healthy discount but i think forcing them to buy Ford cars is a ridiculous rule. I mean i know they're facing trouble with 3000 lay offs and the closures of several plants this week, but this one takes it too far. This only applies to one factory though not the corporation, but they say it may spread. For some reason the employee's union agreed to this..

[scottie300z]

if you work for budlight you cant be seen drinking coors. its not that hard of a concept to understand, you work for a company and you get paid to better it, so why tarnish that hard work by promoting a competitor through your actions? not saying i agree, but its not really outlandish. they arent doing it cause they want their employee's money, but just the overall support and what not.

[SupraMan22]

^^Very True. And forcing employees sounds a bit too much my friend. They probably give them a amazing discount and hoping in return for that they to buy a product. In most cases thats how it works. My dad gets amazing discounts and we drive 3 toyotas and a chevy. And 2 of the toyotas are brand new. He doesnt work for strictly toyota now actually more on the ford line. And what do ya know, he just got a new 06 F-150. It just kinda works out like that but people try to stick names at it. Its simple economy.

[bmwpower]

not saying i agree, but its not really outlandish. they arent doing it cause they want their employee's money, but just the overall support and what not.

no i disagree they are doing this obviously because they are in major need of money and they really can't force consumers but they can make life hell for their employees, and the "support" was never an issue before, all of a sudden it's supposed to become one when their stock is slowly turning worthless...

[adrenaline]

'BMWpower'...Why are you against this? You say that ford will make their lives "HELL" if they dont frive a Ford. Thats stupid. Is not being able to park in the factory car park making your life complete hell?? If you work for FORD, then why on Earth would you drive a Toyota??? And its only at one truck plant, and there has been no word that it will spread. It was the decision of the plant manager. Not Bill Ford.

Employees who don't drive Ford products can still park in an employee lot across the street from the plant.


Jerry Sullivan, president of United Auto Workers Local 600, which represents about 2,600 workers at the plant, applauded Webber's move.

"Everybody's in this together. (We need) to buy the products we make and support the company," Sullivan said. "This is a good place to start."

You shouldn't call yourself a member of Fords team if u buy a toyota.
And it doesnt "FORCE" them to do anything. It simply prohibits competitors cars from parking in the plant carpark. Now what the hell is so bad about that??

[my porsche]

oh this is just terrible, if you work for ford you have to drive a ford to park in the ford lot

where do they get off doing this?








grow a hide. employers can do whatever they want, dont like it? dont work there, its not as if they said well fire you if you dont drive a ford, you just cant park in their lot...how is this so hard to comprehend?

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I think an employee buying a Ford Vehicle with their own money is the best example of an employee who has confidence in his company, and most of all, his fellow workers and indeed their own abilities assembling cars.

And as for the Forcing employees to drive Fords to park in the lot; Forcing does not sound like something the Company would do; the WORST thing they could do right now was to get their workers offside.

[adrenaline]

If there was something wrong with it the union would never agree...but they did!! Infact they applauded it!!

[scottie300z]

no i disagree they are doing this obviously because they are in major need of money and they really can't force consumers but they can make life hell for their employees, and the "support" was never an issue before, all of a sudden it's supposed to become one when their stock is slowly turning worthless...

so your saying just b/c it wasnt an issue before it shouldnt be now? they should just roll over? it is support, using your same logic i could say, "they didnt force them to buy them before for their money but they are now?" same logic, you argument falls through. it is support, so what if they were slow about doing it, its about time. a few customers buying cars is not going to save the company, but those customers displaying that the product is good to thousands of others helps alot more.

[adrenaline]

If I was in control of ford i would be offended by seeing my emplyees driving toyotas to work!!! Ford (errr..that single factory) have every right to do what they want....and what they are doing is not unjust, its just logical.

[spi-ti-tout]

Come to think of it, it works out. Get their employees to buy a Ford and it shows to the reputation of the company, as IB4R said. Don't buy a Ford and we have one less employee to pay .... :)

[Cadillac Imaj]

Force me if I'm a Ford employee.
I love some of their cars though. I meant MOST. What's wrong?
If I'm some employee there that gets a good pay, I'll buy myself a GT. I love it very much, besides, it's the best Ford! So, there isn't a problem with that to me.

[spi-ti-tout]

Except if you could afford a GT you wouldn't be worker in the Ford factory ... :rolleyes:

[Matra et Alpine]

I think an employee buying a Ford Vehicle with their own money is the best example of an employee who has confidence in his company, and most of all, his fellow workers and indeed their own abilities assembling cars.
I suspect that's the problem.

Not a great image for FORD if most cars in the parking lot at the front door are NOT Fords :D

Of course only the big three would then conclude that the solution is to ban the owners of non-Fords from parking there. Oh no, heaven forbid that they actually think that the solution is TO MAKE BETTER CARS !!!!!

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I suspect that's the problem.

Not a great image for FORD if most cars in the parking lot at the front door are NOT Fords :D

Of course only the big three would then conclude that the solution is to ban the owners of non-Fords from parking there. Oh no, heaven forbid that they actually think that the solution is TO MAKE BETTER CARS !!!!!

Which is cheaper and easier for Ford to do?

Precisely.:D

[aNOBLEman]

Except if you could afford a GT you wouldn't be worker in the Ford factory ... :rolleyes:

I bet the manager of the factory could afford a GT. :) All the companies do this. Back when Delphi was part of GM my dad drove a Mustang but when he became a supervisor he had to drive our Chevy van so that he could park with all the other supervisors. They have also started this policy at our Chrysler plant.

[PerfAdv]

Ford has had to cut jobs because there is less demand for Ford products. If you work for Ford and payed another car companies bills by buying their product then the least Ford can do is not let you park closest their front door.

The better brands don't have to resort to this as their product is already desirable but I'm sure if you work at a Toyota assembly plant and drive a Nissan it'd raise a few eyebrows too. And if things got desperate at Toyota, they'd make you park your Nissan somewhere... :D

[QBridge]

If their doing this for money they need to stop building shit cars nobody wants. They seem to have the same model cars with a different shell over and over. They have no selection when they sell the same car with a different name and shell.

Ford Expedition, Excretion, Explorer, Freestyle - All suck, not SUVs or trucks. City gas guzzling cars.
Ford Mustang - The new one is one ugly car. Big engine low power, heavy as **** car. I have to give it some props for being cheap and RWD. Not many of those around.
Focus - piece of shit. Recalled too many times I lost track.
Taurus - Heard it's ok.
Fusion - Don't know but it's ugly. Same type of car as Taurus and Five Hundred.
Five Hundred - Stupid name and it's ugly. Same type of car as Taurus and Fusion so why is it even around?
Crown Vic - A gas guzzler. Big displacement, low power. Automatic shit.
Thunderbird - Just a stupid car.

It's obvious they are doing this for money. I doubt anybody cares what the Ford employees drive, at least not anybody who affects Ford sales.

[kingofthering]

i wonder if they will give you a discount if you buy a GT and park it in the factory lot?
on another note, one of the former ceo's at GM used to drive a Ferrari(including a F40) to work and had it maintained with factory resoursces

[magracer]

I recommend you guys do read the "Implosion" article at www.pitpass.com.

IMHO Ford (and GM) is basically broke so any help they can get is welcome. The employees know that and that is why the union accepted.

[Blitz_]

If their doing this for money they need to stop building shit cars nobody wants. They seem to have the same model cars with a different shell over and over. They have no selection when they sell the same car with a different name and shell.

Ford Expedition, Excretion, Explorer, Freestyle - All suck, not SUVs or trucks. City gas guzzling cars.
Ford Mustang - The new one is one ugly car. Big engine low power, heavy as **** car. I have to give it some props for being cheap and RWD. Not many of those around.
Focus - piece of shit. Recalled too many times I lost track.
Taurus - Heard it's ok.
Fusion - Don't know but it's ugly. Same type of car as Taurus and Five Hundred.
Five Hundred - Stupid name and it's ugly. Same type of car as Taurus and Fusion so why is it even around?
Crown Vic - A gas guzzler. Big displacement, low power. Automatic shit.
Thunderbird - Just a stupid car.

It's obvious they are doing this for money. I doubt anybody cares what the Ford employees drive, at least not anybody who affects Ford sales.

i take it you are around 10 years old and still love watching ren and stimpy? fool, give some real intelligent reasons why you don't like some cars, not some no brainer explenations such as "heard its ok, piece of shit" :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

tool.

[leavundust4231]

I really think that is bs if they would make good enough cars they would have to force there employes to drive there car thats y i stick with dodge al the way

[Geneticfreak]

I would buy the junkies rusted out oil burning old ford that I could find, And I would try to get as many other employees to do the same.

What ever happend to being free. Reminds me of the old days of the unions where you couldnt drive a forighn car to work with out people destroying it in the parking lot. Just shows alot of ignorance.

What should that be telling ford motor company? The employees get a discount on ford vehicles, yet they are purchasing vehicles produced by other auto companies. so either ford cars are not affordable, not desirable etc. So perhaps instead of forcing their employees to buy their vehicles, or walk further to get to work; they should just question the non ford driving employees as to what made them decide to buy another brand, and what ford could change to make them buy one fo their vehicles. perhaps if they were to do this their sales may go up, and they may once again become a profitable company that doesnt have to send its work to other countries and close american plants. Sadly corperate america can not comprehend such ideas...freak

[Schmallz]

Qbridge's signature
Got the stuff from where I've been.
Hit the gas to where I'm going.
You don't have to say it girl, I'm already knowing.
She said uhh I like your Toyota. Uhh your Toyota Corolla!
uhh I like your Toyota. Uhh your Toyota Corolla!
SHE LIKES MY CAR!!! SHE WANTS MY CAR!!!... TOYOTA COROLLA!

Wow, you are like those mexicans that are all "Viva Mexico"
They have pride in a shitty country, it is terrible and gross.
I would kill my self if I drived a corolla or a minivan for that matter.
Corrollas look alright, but they suck, unless its is moded and pumped up then i understand

[rev440]

I really think that is bs if they would make good enough cars they would have to force there employes to drive there car thats y i stick with dodge al the way

Dodge has done it also...

[adrenaline]

OK i think that most here are too critical about the vehicles that Ford and GM are selling. Yes, their products influence their financial performance, but it is only an influence (a pretty stong one, but not the one and only). If you think that the ONLY reason ford and GM are in strife is because of their cars then you are a moron. And Qbridge, what you posted earlier was complete garbage.


Five Hundred - Stupid name and it's ugly. Same type of car as Taurus and Fusion so why is it even around?


Thunderbird - Just a stupid car.


Fusion - Don't know but it's ugly. Same type of car as Taurus and Five Hundred.


Focus - piece of shit.

Im not going to go on about it, but that is absolute garbage. And just to let you know, the fusion, and 500 are quite different cars...are you blind??

This all is a pretty big mess about nothing. Ford have every right to enforce whatever rules they want to. Is it me or it just seems logical?? Lets let our EMPLOYEES drive out COMPETITORS cars into the FACTORY parking lot. If yu are going to work at ford, atleast have some commitment to the company. Ford pays its workers, then sees them investing that pay into their competitors.

And this is only at ONE plant. So calm down. Some people are acting like ford are BANNING their emplyees from driving other brands. NOT TRUE. And how is telling them to park accross the road 'forcing' them to buy a ford.

And yes, Ford and GM's cars are not the only reason they are having difficulties, and i do stress that ford made a solid profit last, whilst GM did not. In a way i think that some of the blame can be pointed at GM for all of their moronic promotions, like the employee pricing, among others. Sure, the others followed but if they didnt they would have been up sh** creek. If Ford and GM just sold their cars at above cost prices, there wouldnt be such a financial loss in NA. They both are making too many cars, and then find themselves with a billion dollars of vehicles sitting on the grass and dont know what to do...except cut the msrp in half and hope that they shift all of them quickly.

And then theres health care and benefits. Toyota doesnt suffer from this. They havent been round for a hundred years, and arent in the same situation as Ford and Gm on this. It costs GM nearly $1500 PER VEHICLE in the US, just for healthcare and benefits and all that garbage. Im sure its a similiar figure for Ford.

Theres so much more that is influencing their North american profits, and all i see are people whinging about the cars.

Ask yourself, if YOU worked at a ford plant and drove a toyota, (and if i did i wouldnt want to show my face in the carpark anyway), and if ford told youto park your toyota across the road in the secondary company capark, would you buy a FORD, just to save that extra 30 seconds walking to the front door??? Think about it.

[jcp123]

I can see somebody FORCING you to buy their $2 beer or 75 cent coke if you worked for them - who cares, right? But coercing (forcing) your employees to buy a $25000 car is way out of line. It reeks of that debacle last year where companies were forcing people out of their jobs if they refused to quit smoking. Companies need to butt out and let people be people. I'm tired of these stupid, unnecessary rules we have on everything these days. It's petty. Don't we have better things to worry about?

[adrenaline]

But coercing (forcing) your employees to buy a $25000 car is way out of line.


WTF? Read the thread. Read the last sentence of my previous post. Nobody is being forced lol :D

I will quote myself...


...would you buy a FORD, just to save that extra 30 seconds walking to the front door??? Think about it.

;)

[Matra et Alpine]

would you buy a FORD, just to save that extra 30 seconds walking to the front door??? Think about it.

It IS America we're talking about......... walk ??? What's that ??? :D

[adrenaline]

Solution >>

:D :D :D ... (Its an airport conveyer belt)

[adrenaline]

After a thumbs up from the union, more plants are joining in...

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20060216&Category=AUTO01&ArtNo=602160387&Ref=V2&Profile=1148Q=100&MaxW=500

Now every GM fanboy is going to yell....little do they know GM will follow :D:D

I dont see why theres such a fuss on this forum...it isnt such a huge issue elsewhere...

And they still get to park in the SAME carpark...just not the prime parking spaces....so i downgrade my extra walking time prediction to: 15 seconds. Those poor americans :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Geneticfreak]

Its just plain un-American for a company to make people do this or that. Thats just the begining bro. it starts with "well why dont you guys park over there then." Then it goes to "well, why dont you just not park in our lots." and then to "well your not going to get a promotion because you dont drive our cars etc."

As far as having pride in your job, 90% of americans hate their jobs, especially those of us in the auto industry. We only applied for and got the jobs because of how much they pay and the insurance benefits. Once you get a job there its a prison, especially deppending on the area that you live in. in most parts of the country where GM, and ford plants are there are not other decent jobs with the pay or benefits of GM or ford plants. Once you are employed there, your stuck. you will not get a job that pays aswell and at the same time has those kind of benefits. I cant tell you how glad I am to be out of the auto industry, which sounds crazy because most anyone in my area would die to get in.

The main point is this. If ford, , and gm were making affordable desirable, and capable vehicles then their employees would be buying them. They get a discount on the vehicles on top of that. so basically because the big dogs at the top of gm and ford have made poor decissions, they are coercing their employees to buy vehicles that they do not necisarily want to buy. That is un american. I bet you alot of the top corperate guys at both GM, and ford drive mercedez, bmw's, etc.

Not that it matters, America has lost its way. Its now about big corperations, and every day its less and less about the actual citizens. America is in big trouble, its not just the major american auto makers...freak

[jcp123]

WTF? Read the thread. Read the last sentence of my previous post. Nobody is being forced lol :D
;)

Ford should hire you as a spokesperson for this, you sidestep it nicely. No, they're not being forced...but c'mon, think about it...they're being forced.

[vantage-v8]

And what about the Ford workers who just dont like the Ford products?
They work there to pay their food and house, not to drive a Ford...

I worked for few factories and their porducts werent the ones I like the most... and they never asked me to buy there products.

This story is simply bad publicity for Ford...

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Basically, IMHO, if you're not willing to support the company that supports you (By Paying you for your labor) you should feel free to take your labor somewhere else. God knows Ford could use some labor cuts and workers making a noise about walking 30 seconds more to get to work would almost certainly be at the front of the queue if I was a plant manager.

If you cannot support what you build, you shouldn't build it, simple.

[jcp123]

Basically, IMHO, if you're not willing to support the company that supports you (By Paying you for your labor) you should feel free to take your labor somewhere else. God knows Ford could use some labor cuts and workers making a noise about walking 30 seconds more to get to work would almost certainly be at the front of the queue if I was a plant manager.

If you cannot support what you build, you shouldn't build it, simple.

Supporting what you build is one thing. Not being able to drive the '67 Chevelle that you've driven for 20 years and that lost your virginity in back in high school to work is another. This is just another stupid, unnecessary rule, like banning smoking in bars, requiring seatbelts, or having a dry county. I always thought it was bad enough when some politician thought they knew what was best for, now even companies are starting to get into the fray. :mad:

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Supporting what you build is one thing. Not being able to drive the '67 Chevelle that you've driven for 20 years and that lost your virginity in back in high school to work is another. This is just another stupid, unnecessary rule, like banning smoking in bars, requiring seatbelts, or having a dry county. I always thought it was bad enough when some politician thought they knew what was best for, now even companies are starting to get into the fray. :mad:

Requiring seatbelts has saved lives; it's a moot point dude.

When a Company is having as much trouble as Ford trying to make a profit and keep not only it's shareholders, but the unions, workers and the bottom line happy, these sorts of rules are bound to spring up.

I'm all for them, and the example of the '67 Chevelle you mention is not a bad argument against it, but when an employee buys a brand new 300c over the equivalent ford model it shows a lack of faith in the designers, engineers and manufacturers of that car.

This sort of thing happens all the time in other industries (coke employees can't be seen drinking Pepsi in their work uniform, for instance) and the car industry is among the most competitive manufacturing industry in the world.

[jcp123]

I have heard that Coke analogy on other sites as well, and I suppose it holds some water. But like I said, requiring somebody to spend 50 cents on a Coke is nothing like telling a person what to do with a good chunk of their income. I don't particularly care for Coke's version of the rule either, but it's just on a lower scale. Besides which, this is something you use quite a bit OUTSIDE of the job too, which is somewhere the company just should not have that much authority over your spending. Similarly, some companies here are even forcing empoyees to quit smoking or leave the company; some smoking is done at work, but most of it is not. It's in their private lives, where it is wrong for the company to think it can extend its authority. Now SHOULD people quit smoking or not smoke in the first place? You bet. But this is just an insane and authoritarian way to go about solving a problem whose root cause and solution lie far beyond any of that. Same for Ford.

As to the seatbelt thing...I wear one not because some politician tells me to, but because I know it's the right thing to do. Government should not be a substitute for common sense. It's a perso

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I have heard that Coke analogy on other sites as well, and I suppose it holds some water. But like I said, requiring somebody to spend 50 cents on a Coke is nothing like telling a person what to do with a good chunk of their income. I don't particularly care for Coke's version of the rule either, but it's just on a lower scale. Besides which, this is something you use quite a bit OUTSIDE of the job too, which is somewhere the company just should not have that much authority over your spending. Similarly, some companies here are even forcing empoyees to quit smoking or leave the company; some smoking is done at work, but most of it is not. It's in their private lives, where it is wrong for the company to think it can extend its authority. Now SHOULD people quit smoking or not smoke in the first place? You bet. But this is just an insane and authoritarian way to go about solving a problem whose root cause and solution lie far beyond any of that. Same for Ford.

As to the seatbelt thing...I wear one not because some politician tells me to, but because I know it's the right thing to do. Government should not be a substitute for common sense. It's a perso

Seatbelts agreed upon. However, to deal with the retards that inhabit most of Australia's roads, it's Illegal to be without one in Australia.

I think that it's an extension of the corporate thought pattern of 'brand-shaping'. But again you can take your talents elsewhere if you don't like the rules set down, it's a democracy after all.

The company is within it's rights to ask employees not to smoke in buildings, for instance, or out the front of the building (My father works in a Government office and they've just recently relegated smokers to a courtyard rather than out front of the building following asthmatics (Spelling?) having attacks when they walked out the door on the way home.

It's big brother telling the citizen whats good for it, in that case.

with Ford it's a bit of a pickle, because the employees cannot claim they can't afford it, considering the give-away price tags that employees are offered. they can't say that they don't like the product, because the question of 'why do you work here then?' arises. They can't claim that the product isn't up to standard, because then they speak badly of their own abilities in whatever field, or their colleagues. there really is no excuse other than personal preference.

is a 30 second walk really that big a deal?

[Quiggs]

If you cannot support what you build, you shouldn't build it, simple.
Everyone should read this one more time.

[adrenaline]

Ford should hire you as a spokesperson for this, you sidestep it nicely. No, they're not being forced...but c'mon, think about it...they're being forced.

You are a moron. If you controlled a Ford plant, would you like to see toyotas in the carpark? My guess is no.

If you are not going to support Ford, then dont work there. Simple. An extra 15 seconds of walking is not forcing. How the hell is that forcing you to buy a Ford????


If you cannot support what you build, you shouldn't build it, simple.

I really dont get why this is such an issue. Ford can do what they like. I still cant work out how 15 seconds of walking time can force you to buy a Ford.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

It's more the principle of having workers driving non-ford cars being forced to make a larger trek......

Come to think of it, why is it such an issue? because it's a loyalty and trust issue; Ford associates it's workers buying Fords with their confidence in the company, when they don't see that happening, they think they're in trouble.

[Geneticfreak]

sure forcing people to wear seatbelts has saved lives. Just imagine how many lives would be saved if they banned unprotected sex. millions of lives would be saved. does that mean it is the governments place to dictate that to us HELL NO. Same for smoking laws. it is by far not a moot point, and to think it is only shows short sitedness (no offence intended.)

If you dont belive what you build, then you shouldnt build it? by that way of thikning grocery stores should only sell the types of products its employees use, or eat, or like. the rest should not be sold, and should be sold at other stores. Where will you buy the food that you like? that sounds real reasonable. Belive it or not, many ford employees have ideas of how to improve the product they are building, the company simply doesnt care what they think for the most part. The people who work for ford should care about ford, because ford has always been known to care about its employees to right? Wrong, thats why they have unions, granted that they are not as needed as they once were, and no longer perform the kind of jobs they were initially intended to do.

here is a little history lesson about ford. in the 80's they were nearly bankrupt. at that time their plants were running on this ford moto. "make every task so simple that even a moron could do it." they dumbed down ever task to the point where could barely stand to do them. there was no incentive for employees to improve anything. they were idiots, and were there just to do their job, and that was it. Finally some people came in to help ford figure out how to turn thigns around. one of the first things they did was personally interview every single employee on how things could be improved. because of this the lines were compleatly changed, and the quality of fords finished product improved drastically, and is considered to be one of the main reasons that fords fate was not sealed.

There is no arguement that makes what they are doing right in a free country. ford knows that most of their employees can not just go and get another job with equal pay and equal benefits, there for by the rational if they dont like it they should leave would give ford the power to do anythign in the plants they wanted to. guesse what joe, your working 16 hours today. whats that, you have worked 16 hours all week long, too damn bad if you dont like it leave, go get a job somewhere else. yeah the world would be a great place if thats how things worked.

If ford wants its employees to drive ford cars so much, and if its an image thing, that they only want ford vehicles in the lot, then perhaps they should just give all of their employees cars to drive to work. even better, for enviromental concerns, they should give them all cars, and then put them into groups, and force them to car pool with people they dont know or like. then ford can hire its own doctor, and build its own hospital at the plant. they can force their employees to only seek medical treatment at their facility no matter the quality. Then they can keep records of all their employees illnesses, and injuries, and place them in jobs that best fit that employee. no matter weather the employee wants to be there. then they can build a really crappy school, and force the kids of the employees to send their kids there for a lesser education then they could get from their public or private school. then ford can start their own clothing line, and force their employees to wear only cloths made by ford. then they can set mandatory bed times for all their employees to make sure they are rested and ready for work. yeah we are getting somewhere now. then ford can build their own church, and force their employees to go to church every sunday at the ford church, no matter what your religious beliefs are, you are going to pray to the FORD god. then finally ford food and water, hell why stopp there, ford toilets and toilet paper. just imagine how effecient this would be, and how much it would save ford from its troubles, and how much more money ford would make and save. oh hell why stop there, we could have ford housing editions, right across the street from the plants, damn that would be a great world.

Wake up, if ford was building cars that their employees belived in, and liked the styling of, and loved what the vehicles offered then their employees would be driving them. 99% of fords employees have nothing to do with the desighn of the vehicles, what options the vehicles will have, etc. all they do is build the specific part of the car that they build. there for it is not an arguement of them not beliving what they build, because they only machine one gear, or attatch one part to the vehicle. if the transmission pan gaskette sucks, they cant just force ford to buy gasketts from a different company. There for it is not an arguement of they should belive in what they are building. they are not building anything, they are just putting parts together, or following a blue print that they are not allowed to alter.

If ford wants to sell more cars, then perhaps they should find out what people in the market want. perhaps they should ask their employees why they are not driving ford vehicles. then perhaps they should make the appropriate changes in order to sell more vehicles.

Ford is having money problems? they are not selling enough cars? its gotten to the point obviously where even ford employees who get a great discount on the vehicles are not buying them. what does that tell you? if people can buy a car for 20k, but choose to buy the equivelent of that car from another company for 30k, and they prefer the 30k vehicle obviously there is a reason why someoen isnt buying a car they get a discount on opposed to the car or vehicle that cost them more. I am sure its not that ford employees are just so wealthy they feel the need to blow the extra 10k. obviously alot of peole feel ford vehicles are inferior in one way or another. its just that simple. if you offer your employees your vehicles at a great discount, and they are still not buying those vehicles, then obviously there is something about those vehicles you need to change. obviously ford is not making vehicles that are desireable for what ever reason. the answer to the problem is not forcing your employees to buy and drive them lmao, thats just absurd...freak

[adrenaline]

Your Name says it all, Genetic Freak.

Nobody is being forced, cant you get that into your head??? That post is full of garbage. You're acting like ford has said "Buy our cars or leave your job", or "If you dont drive a Ford then you cant enter the plant". NO, they said, "Park you toyotas over there >>" How hard is that???

You seem to stab at FORD more than you stab at the ISSUE. Now say it slowly to yourself, "GM FANBOY". Repeat that a few times.

Why are you making this such an issue? Its not. If you have a problem with it then cry to Ford, because im sick of hearing this 'forcing' garbage here.

Do you weigh 4000 pounds? Does the thought of walking an extra 15 seconds make you want to jump off a bridge and die?

Seriously, you are taking this WAY too far, and its not even an issue. Get over it!!

[Matra et Alpine]

Seriously, you are taking this WAY too far, and its not even an issue. Get over it!!
ah but wil you complain when the company runs special busses for the Ford-owners ? Or maybe seats marked "non-Ford owners only) in the foyer.
NExt it may be sperate toilets -- you know "Ford" and "non-white" --- oops I meant "non-Ford".
Then to make sure nobody cheats the Ford owners will get a little armband with the Ford logo on it.
The non-Ford owners will clearly have to wear badges -- somethign like the Mercedes or a star or something.

Only partly in jest :)
A company should not treat employees differently for the choices they want to make in their purchases.
Espoecially as it clearly shows every employee how much the comapny cares abtou THEM as opposed to the company. The best companies are ones that care for their employees rights and respect them.

[adrenaline]

ah but wil you complain when the company runs special busses for the Ford-owners ? Or maybe seats marked "non-Ford owners only) in the foyer.
NExt it may be sperate toilets -- you know "Ford" and "non-white" --- oops I meant "non-Ford".
Then to make sure nobody cheats the Ford owners will get a little armband with the Ford logo on it.
The non-Ford owners will clearly have to wear badges -- somethign like the Mercedes or a star or something.


^^lol!

Until that happens im not complaining :D :D

You are definately right about the company's relationship with the employees, and respecting their decisions. But parking your toyota at a Ford plant must be awkward. I think that Ford has every right to tell employees where to park the competitors cars, and its only about 15 seconds walk. If they made them park the cars off the premesis or ban them from the carpark altogether then its terrible, but they have hardly gone extreme like that...its silly to get all upset like 'genetic freak'...i mean its not that big of a deal...and he/ she seems to just wants to put down ford...well thats the impression I'm getting....

[Matra et Alpine]

^^lol!

Until that happens im not complaining :D :D

You are definately right about the company's relationship with the employees, and respecting their decisions. But parking your toyota at a Ford plant must be awkward. I think that Ford has every right to tell employees where to park the competitors cars, and its only about 15 seconds walk. If they made them park the cars off the premesis or ban them from the carpark altogether then its terrible, but they have hardly gone extreme like that...its silly to get all upset like 'genetic freak'...i mean its not that big of a deal...and he/ she seems to just wants to put down ford...well thats the impression I'm getting....
Read about the holocaust from some German persectives.
A common thread is the shame they feel for not saying anything as each of the small steps were taken along the path to extermination.

This is one small step, if it's accepted then who will stand up and say NO to the next "small step" and the next ???

( not serious, but shouldn't be forgotten :) )

[kingofthering]

its to get people to buy fords, its to get you to feel awkward that you have to park in a seperate lot then people will say, hey you don't drive a ford, you'll get screwed and ostracized for it.

[Geneticfreak]

I am not upset lol, I just think its stupid. it is discrimination plain and simple. They wouldnt say all black people have to park here or there, or fat people have to park here or there. Like mentioned above it is not a big deal, but is a step in the direction of worse things to come.

Another good analogy would be cameras in the streets of london. most people were all for the idea. they thought it woudl prevent crime, help catch criminals etc, while a small number of "paranoid" people were against the idea for thought it might go even further one day. sure enough a few years later they added a program that scans the face of every individual on the streets to try and match it to known criminal databases. still not many complained, because it was making them more safe. Now they are wanting to log everyones license plate, and with a computer program plot and keep track of ever trip made in that vehicle. suddenly its starting to sound more and more like the novel "big brother" isnt it.

seat belt laws, smoking bans, the patriot act, they are all progressive laws. If you continue to accept them, then they only lead to more laws to take away our freedom of choice.

What if they were to assighn parking spots based on pay scale or job title. they would be descriminating. America as a country is supposed to be against discrimination. there for people should not stand for such things.

Sure those employees are costing ford money by not buying their cars. you could also argue that smokers and obese employees are causing the company to lose money due to the expenses to cover their health coverage. so perhaps smokers, and obese people should be forced to park further back. after all they could use the excersize, and other then them being discriminated against, and the feelings that go along with that, they would be of better health. so why not do something like that? the answer is simple, and the question is rhetorical. Its discrimination plain and simple.

if we as a society allow discrimination among smaller groups, then by matter of deductive logic it will only encourage more discriminative laws to be passed.

I see this in america all over the place and it is only gettign worse. people no longer care about discriminative laws and policies to be put into place. Peole look at it like if it doesnt effect them they dont care. It is laws and policies like this that are brick by brick destroying our country. mandatory min sentances for drug offenders, the patriot act, seat belt laws, smoking laws/taxes, additional fast food tax, racial profiling, the list goes on and on.

Hitler didnt come straight out and say "we are goign to put jews in camps and slaughter them all." it happend progressivly, and systematically. The point is if we allow it to happen on a smaller scale, then the problem will only grow.

I am not shallow minded, I can see it from fords stand point, but at the same time their solution is not by far the answer. The problem is they are not producing cars that are either not affordable enough, or are not desirable to the customers, or employees for one reason or another. That is the problem they need to be looking into solving. The simple fact that fewer and fewer ford employees are buying ford vehicles should tell them that there is something wrong with their vehicles, not their employees. Its simple to see. ford employees get a discount on ford vehicles, yet they still choose to drive the competitors cars. Obviously there is something wrong with the cars, not the employees. if the cars were equal, and the fords were discounted, any normal human being would buy the equal car of a cheaper price. However they are not doing that, so obviously the cars are not equal to one another.

The biggest problem of the whole equation is that the big dogs at ford are so conceited that they can not possibly conceive that the decissions they are making is what is causing their sales to drop. LIke I said before, you can bet that all of them are not driving ford vehicles. so not only is it a matter of discrimination, but a matter of hyprocrisy. it simply stinks from top to bottom.

another analogy would be smoking. it started with you cant set with other people in restaraunts or movie theaters or on a plane. then it was you cant smoke in buildings, then it was you cant smoke infront of buildings, and now you cant even smoke in plublic in many places, and now employers are trying to dictate whether or not their employees can smoke in their own homes. People are allowing these things to happen because of their ignorance, and because of a huge fear campaign by the federal government and other groups. People believe what ever they are told by someone they perceive to be more intelligent then them. so people believe that setting in a restaurant with smokers will kill them much faster then setting for an equal amount of time in traffic with their car window down.

Sure the world would be a better place perhaps if no one smoked, but its a personal choice. Making something illegal in alot of cases only makes the situation worse. like with drugs, alcohol, and I am sure cigaretts aswell.

its a simple matter of give them an inch and they will take a mile, not to mention hyporcrisy, and descrimination.

I am not mad, or upset with this, as it doesnt effect me. It bothers me that so many people are willing to just allow their fellow americans to be discriminated against. Even more bothersome with this topic is that many members actually support the descrimination, and think its a great idea...freak

[rex orr]

If I was in control of ford i would be offended by seeing my emplyees driving toyotas to work!!! Ford (errr..that single factory) have every right to do what they want....and what they are doing is not unjust, its just logical.


Agree

[Matra et Alpine]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ADRENALINE
If I was in control of ford i would be offended by seeing my emplyees driving toyotas to work!!! Ford (errr..that single factory) have every right to do what they want....and what they are doing is not unjust, its just logical.



Agree

Freedom of choice has just left the room :)

What next ? Not buying from shops not run by Ford ? Then it will only buying from "aryan" shops ( oops I mean Ford ) .... nice path you're happy tread !! Are you still happy at it ?????

[kingofthering]

ya know, theres something wrong with your company if your own employees don't want to drive your products

[Fiorano]

Well this concept is not ford only
Nissan NA, at the HQ only allows Nissans in the Parkinglot, it is a brand and identity thing- you join the gang, where the colors- solidarity.
You can drive what you want but on their property only park what they build, it isn't brutish or evil, it is the team mentality that so many people have gotten away from. A Man United striker is not going to hang out wearing a Leeds jersey or M.Real color is he?
and in the change up rooms, they are only going to where certain colors...
same thing here.

[Geneticfreak]

Well this concept is not ford only
Nissan NA, at the HQ only allows Nissans in the Parkinglot, it is a brand and identity thing- you join the gang, where the colors- solidarity.
You can drive what you want but on their property only park what they build, it isn't brutish or evil, it is the team mentality that so many people have gotten away from. A Man United striker is not going to hang out wearing a Leeds jersey or M.Real color is he?
and in the change up rooms, they are only going to where certain colors...
same thing here.

Nah, thats not the same thing, if they told them they could only wear certain colors of cloths made from a certain manufacture that would be the same lol.

The main point here isnt that ford workers are not being loyal, the point is that there has to be a reason they are buying cars that they dont build, or do not get a discount on. obviously there is something wrong with the cars they are making. If ford was making great cars, then employees would be buying them at the employee discounted price, rather then buying a car they are not discounted on.

Another issue to consider is that last year nearly all american automakers gave the employee discount to everyone who bought a car. So all the sudden ford employees were able to purchase chevy's or dodges for teh same price or possibly less then what they could with their own company.

I still doubt this had much to do with ford company making that decission, it has probly been a problem at that factory for some time.

Its one thing when its a product that costs 5 bucks, and another all together when its a product that costs 20-50k, and is something you use everyday for several hours a day, and you deppend on it to get you to work, to your appointments, your kids to school etc. Its a product you trust yours and your families life to every time you get into it.

Saftey issues, airbags, front and side collissions are something that alot of consumers take into consideration when purchasing a vehicle. ford has consistantly tested at or near the bottom in more then 3 of their models for the last decade. Telling someone they have to drive a less safe vehicle if they want to park in a good spot is not freedom, its not free choice, and its just unamerican in general. The fact that the union supports the idea, says one of two things. the union there is weak, and in the pocket of the general manager, or that the particular factory is in serious trouble financially, and is probly on the list of plants that will be closed and moved to mexico if for stocks dont pick up a bit. Mostly I think it just goes to show how weak, worthless, and currupt american unions for the auto industry among others have become...freak

[baddabang]

I dont see what the big deal is, our local GM powertrain factory has been doing this forever. Theres 2 parking lots, the GM products (chevy, hummer, saturn etc.) and the non GM products. And I can easily tell you that the GM one was always packed compared to the other, why? Because if you produce an engine and drivetrain for an automobile wouldnt you want to own a piece of your own work? (plus you get a 5% discout) I think this is a brilliant idea, more power to ford.

[adrenaline]

I cannot believe that this crap is still going. Genetic Freak changed his cause. First it was bad that ford would force them, and now the whole point is their cars?? how is what Fiorano said any different from whats happening at ford?? Lets start to put nissans down. Hold on, chev does it too. Announcement: all chevys are crap. What happens if BMW decides to do it?? Or Audi? Does it mean theyre cars are crap. Or does it only apply to the automaker of your choice?

Another announcement: get over it already!!

[RobertC]

This is really nothing new to the auto industry, and has been going since well before WWII.
My brother worked at the GM plant in Oklahoma City, for years, and if the employees did not drive a GM product, they were required to park in a sepearate, out of sight lot. No one thought it was any big deal then, and it's not one now.

JMO, natcherly. :D

[Innotech]

This is neither discriminatory nor a Ford only idea.
In fact Im willing to bet more than a few Toyota/Honda plants do it too.
It makes a lot of sense to give incentives to loyal workers for their support, while enhancing the plants image and thusly that of the company itself, even in a small way. Saying this is wrong is like saying its wrong to give someone a promotion for their dedication and hard work. Its totally ridiculous.
The Factories are not a public doman, they arwe private. Similar to how free speech exists but do you think you can just say ANYTHING on this forum? No there are rules and regulations and traditions. Ford plants have made a new rule. Workers will abide by it. Its simple and it doesnt hurt anything.

[RazaBlade]

Ive only just caught this thread, so excuse me if I have the wrong end of the stick. I think the company has every right to 'ask' their employees to use their product, for whatever reason. Whether it be free advertising, parking the vehicles in front of the factory, or increasing revenue, while at work, I dont find a problem with that. Anybody watch the Apprentice this week (UK version)? As do most places, TopMan asked the contestants to wear TopMan clothes, its a way of advertising and showing off the company. How would it look if the shop assistant you're buying the clothes off is wearing Dorothy Perkins when you're in H&M??