this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023

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Ford lays off 600 workers at plant targeted by UAW strike (www.barrons.com)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

74 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Ford lays off 600 workers at plant targeted by UAW strike::Ford is laying off workers while the UAW is striking against Ford, GM, and Stellantis. This is getting complicated.

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[–] [email protected] 107 points 11 months ago (2 children)

It's not complicated. It's just a really dumb move.

Ford said "It's not a lock out". Yeah.. tell me the difference then. They just don't want to acknowledge that they're even playing the game - or maybe they don't understand.

If they want to do layoffs in every department that is affected by the strikes they will shut down faster than the strikes could do it. They're literally helping the union shut down the company, except they'll make it more difficult for themselves to reopen once an agreement is done.

The UAW already announced that they'd do stand up strikes, which despite the new name is a good old strategy of moving the strikes to whatever area or department they want to shut down today.

With these two strategies up against each other, I think the outcome is already determined.

Ford can not win this by laying off people. It's not like the union will suddenly back down just because Ford says: "lOOk aT wHaT yOU mADE me dO!!11" while it hurt itself in the confusion.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

or maybe they don’t understand

They totally do, and the execs are panicking, but historically companies could just have people arrested for striking, or shoot them, so right now they don’t know what to do except try other scare tactics. They’ll try anything before cutting into their “record profits”

[–] [email protected] 20 points 11 months ago

Then this is as good a time as any to show them that bullying does not work.

The strike didn't fire 600 people. Ford fired 600 people and tried to blame it on the strike.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago

I think the UAW planned for these layoffs. What is Ford suppose to do with all the workforce standing around when the supply chain has been cut and halted on strategic sections. The whole assembly line is down, not just the striking workers. They were counting on Unemployment benefits from the government to stretch out the UAW fund to it's maximum. This move puts Ford in a much tighter squeeze and will probably help leverage the negotiations on behalf of the UAW. Also, the public eye will frown upon the big 3 by laying off workers. On top of losing sales and market they will hurt their reputation which will be the costlier of them all. It seems that the UAW is prepping for the long haul. Let's go workers!!!

I just hope that this gets resolved quickly and favorably because all of the industry (supply chain all the way to the bottom) will hurt because of this.

[–] [email protected] 81 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I’ll never buy a ford then.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 11 months ago (9 children)

You shouldn’t anyway. Their vehicles are terrible.

I had a 2003 Ranger that was in tip top shape. I was the only owner and regularly took it in for oil changes and maintenance. Sitting at a stop sign one night on my way home from work and the engine starts knocking out of the blue. Piston fucked and the engine is completely shot. That was like 1-2 months after a full tune up.

My mom had a Ford Focus. As soon as it was out of warranty, everything on that car went south. The electronics, the transmission, everything. That car was a massive piece of shit.

tl;dr - Ford fucking sucks.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That kind of stuff happens with all brands though... Heck, we would sometimes have brand new cars needing an engine replacement at the dealership I worked at back in the day (Nissan around 2009).

[–] [email protected] 23 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I have had a couple of Fords over the years and never experienced anything beyond usual wear and tear. My brother has been driving Focuses for nearly 2 decades now and swears by them.

Not defending ford as a company here, but just sharing my own anecdotes.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 11 months ago

Weird. My 2009 Ranger with 160k miles still pulls its 31 inch tires at over 90mph to the beach just fine. My old Focist ST took a hell of a beating cause I drove it like it was stolen and it was fine too.

But because you must be right. All ford's suck.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago

Anecdotal

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Counterpoint: drove a 92 Ford ranger into the fucking ground. That truck was an absolute soldier. I took shit care of it, my neighbor cut my fuel line and I held it together with a clamp and a sock, I got in 4 accidents in it.

Absolute beast of a vehicle.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

The old ones were tanks! I was bummed when mine went south.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

My '96 Ranger is at a quarter million miles and still going.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago (4 children)

FORD: Fix Often Repair Daily

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Found On Road Dead

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

LOTUS: Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

Jeremy Clarkson (or whatever writer for the show wrote that line)

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I've heard stories like that from most car brands. Not saying you are the exception, I'm saying the exception is a reliable car that doesn't suck for almost anyone, like a 90s-00s Toyota

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[–] [email protected] 76 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (5 children)

Not defending Ford here. But we need to be supporting union workers by choosing union made products and services. Those that are saying they won’t buy a Ford now, that’s your choice, but I hope you’re doing your research and at least considering other automobiles that are union instead. Here is a 2023 list of all the UAW built vehicles: https://uaw.org/solidarity_magazine/2023-uaw-union-built-vehicle-guide/amp/

[–] [email protected] 25 points 11 months ago

Yeah I wanted a Chevy bolt because that’s the union made electric compact. I won’t buy a struck vehicle but I’ll never buy a non union new vehicle if I can help it. Purchasing non union products is the same as purchasing products from companies retaliating against a union, the only difference is the retaliators haven’t won yet.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Good point

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[–] [email protected] 67 points 11 months ago

Oh, wow! That’ll show those rascally workers! I’m sure the strikes will conclude uneventfully now!

[–] [email protected] 66 points 11 months ago (1 children)

If they can prove the layoffs are retaliation, can't the workers sure them? Or does that only apply to the initial action of unionisation?

[–] [email protected] 54 points 11 months ago

And this is one of the reasons they're striking in the first place.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 11 months ago

Fuck these fat cats! Take'em for all they're worth UAW!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago

Poking the UAW with a stick may not work the way Ford thinks it will.

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