Read and post your thoughts......I think it's kind of messed up.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11057921/
Okay that's just stupid. If your employees find cars they like better at the Chrysler or Toyota dealership then that means you as a car manufacturer are not offering the right vehicles. You can't force people to drive the cars they build. Maybe they're hoping some people will quit over it so they only have to fire 25,000 over the next six years instead of 30,000. Jerks.
I agree its stupid. But pen 15e and pepsi have been doing it for years. or at least the local plants here do.
Yeah but a pen 15e doesn't cost $25,000.
i personally dont have a problem with that. on the other hand, i wouldn't drive anything other than a ford anyway, or atleast something built by ford. do they allow merc or lincoln? if those commies don't like what they're building enough to drive it, they need to go work at toyota or taco bell.
I was gonna say, the UAW has been "persuading" employees of the Big 3 to drive domestics for years, and it mentions that in the article anyway.
OK, let's say your name is John Jones. You are 36 years old, work at this plant, have 3 kids, a mortgage and 2 vehicles......
1. A 2004 Ford Explorer
2. A 1996 Toyota Camry
Your wife Jane is a stay at home mom and 2 of your kids are not yet of school age. She runs arounddoing errands with the kids very often. You decided when you bought the Explorer to let her drive it and use the Toyota as a commute vehicle. After all, it's under warantee, has roadside assistance, is more reliable due to it's relatively young age, and it would really suck to get a phone call at work from Jane 'cause she's broke down with the kids and the Camry just won't start. Due to your expenses another new vehicle would be pushing it and you'd like to save some cash to invest.
Some people have needs that go above and beyond brand loyalty and no matter how much you like a specific brand sometimes you gotta go with what works best for your situation. Seems to me the UAW bargainers are ignoring that.
If FoMoCo is smart, they'll lay the smack down on the plant manager. We're talking about a rogue person in charge here, that decided to make his own policy. Now if Ford, as a company, does nothing about this person then one can assume that it becomes a company-wide policy. I don't think Ford needs that kind of publicity right now.
On the other hand...if you as an employee cannot show enough pride to drive a vehicle that your paycheck-signer created...then you're still going through your teenage rebellious phase for whatever reason. It is an unwritten rule that if you build GM, you drive GM, etc. for all other automakers. There is immense peer pressure to do so, also, with or without the blessings of a plant manager. With that much pressure, if one does not cave in eventually, then that person is just trying to be a hardass and probably has given managers enough grounds to excise them from the company. Get with the program, in other words. And I don't feel that's necessarily a bad thing. If I were working out at Lordstown and helping build the Cobalt, I'd sure as hell buy a GM car to drive to work...no question about that. It would suck, sure, but you gotta do what you gotta do to keep the peace. And to keep others from vandalizing your vehicle...which happens a LOT out at Lordstown if you pull a puppiesanese car into the plant lot...
More interesting stuff on the same topic:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/13/C01-115531.htm
So you park across the street. I don't see the big deal. If I ran the place I would have done the same, but years ago.
it's stupid, for the few ppl that may not drive a ford to work it is just dumb. what about the temp secretary or temp IT person that will only be there for a few months/years, they can't go buy a new car cause you think your f'ing hitler now.
I worked at GM and most ppl drove GM a few drove other things, beaters they got from familiy, or they were contractors driving the cars they had had for years (capri and t-bird for me).. I say someone should read this guy the riot act and bounce him. that is just plain dumb.
I don't see anyone making anyone go out and buy a Ford. I just see it as a small suggestion.
Fair enough and I would park accross the street in that situation. Where does it end though? What about the dealership I bring the Mustang to for oil changes and required service? They're lot for employees is very small AND there are no parking signs on the surrounding streets for about a 1/2 mile. Next door is a post office (try parking in THEIR LOT). Further down is a strip mall with about 60 spots and 8 or 9 mom & pop type local businesses that all do very well.
Look, I do agree if you think that Ford is good enough to pay you then you could at least support yourself and your fellow employees by buying something you help to make, but I think this guy's gone a little overboard is all......
Hey, I work at Sears, and as employees we are NOT ALLOWED to be in the store carrying bags from competing stores. I think that's a stupider rule than the one at this Ford plant.
I have a buddy that works at the Toyota truck plant here in Indiana and bought a new Chevy truck to drive. He then proceeded to put a Bow-tie sticker across the entire back glass. We always gave him a hard time about it and he never even thought about it until we said something. I don't see the big deal. You should be able to drive what you want...but I personally would be embarrassed to work for Ford and not drive a Ford.
I've heard of that - kind of funny though.
you work at sears to?
apairently every company does something like this, some companies dont even want you shopping at compeating stores... it would be a better idea if you got a premium spot if you drove a ford, but thats a protected lot i assume. its wrong to just flat out say you cant park their...
That's why I work for the government (City of Chicago). I don't have to worry about stupid like this:D
Depending on what type of government job it is some do have to worry about it, especially any job that requires some type of uniform or business attire.
well at my work we are not allowed to bring mail delivered by the post office to work.....
No j/k. I dont see why any of these things apply. What if you worked for gm? would you not drive your tbird/cougar? I would. And I wouldnt have a problem with it either. Its bull that they would make me park acrossed the street anyways. I have gotten fired for less.
heh... i thought they already did that. i mean really, you work for an automaker and when the time comes to buy a shiny new car you go to the competitor? what bigger spit in the face is that? i personally would be ashamed to do so. so they award the loyal employees, let's start a riot. xD
Well it's a small world after all :D
Sears Canada here :hick:
I used to work at a Pizza place for a year, and when you signed on you agreed to never walk into another pizza place wearing your uniform. One kid came into the store with his uniform on and a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. The owner walkind into the store the back way where we had our own little chill spot and saw the kid eating. He took away his 50% off employee discount. I'm guessing that there is no contract saying that you will not go out and buy another manufactuer's car if you work for a car company, but like Eric said there are certain unwritten rules. America is a country that lives for it's brands, and cars are no exception. In high school I saw everything from the Domestic kids haze the Imports kids, the Chevy guys screw with the Ford guys, and even a couple of cycle guys got into it because one guy called the other's GSXR a POS. Some guy who had an old Stingray took epoxy and rice and spelled out "Got Rice?" on the hood of another guy's 3000GT. (It was quite commical) But the point is, a job in the car industry is a pretty dificult job to get and hold onto, at least from what I understand, and I'd imagine most people who would take the time and effort to get a job working for Ford would not really be GM fanboys. So as long as there is sanctioned plant parking across the street, from what I've read it seems like the plant owns that lot, then it's not really all that inhumane.
I couldnt agree more, by buying from the company you work for you are ensuring you will have a job. Have you ever heard of a vegan cattle rancher? Thats what I thought. Its all about being proud of and satisfied with your work.
Where I work the management and team leaders get to park right behind the building in a fenced in compound, everyone else (myself included) parks down the street in an open parking lot. Do I have a problem with this? NO why? because I respect the company and *most of the people above me and I realise thats the way the cookie crumbles.
Besides walkings good for you
Ford is not forcing people to drive/buy a Ford vehicle. All they're doing is making you park in another parking lot if you choose to drive the competition. All Ford drivers will get preferred parking and speaking as a Ford employee, I don't see anything wrong with it.
This is nothing new by the way....GM in Oshawa has been doing this for years.
Not just singling you out as others mentioned this as well. Why not buy a Ford if you are working at the plant? Because maybe Ford quality isnt as good as some of the competitors. Maybe the workers there actually know how they get built and what they are made out of that they wouldnt buy a Ford. Heck maybe they wanted a relaible car like a Toyota or Honda that holds better value than their own Ford they built with their own hands. Now THAT is a slap in the face, don't you think?
Just for the record, I buy vehicles that are my best bang for the buck. So I own 3 Toyota's and I own 2 Ford's, a 90 Mustang and an 87 TBird. The Ford's are modern day muscle cars and nothing else. I bought them to modify and have fun not for resale value which by the way don't go for Squat. The puppies vehicles are my daily transportation and work horses.
Alot of you are die hard Ford fans and their is nothing wrong with that but you got to realise Ford isn't the most reliable or holds it value, it is the puppiesanese. If I worked at Ford, they better have a good re-sale value and have to be very reliable. The only thing Ford has to keep them open is the F series trucks, Mustangs and the Crown Vics and that is it. Sorry folks I will continue to by puppiesanese until American auto makers get their schit straight.
James
What about the people who are just starting? You could have had a car of any manufacturer for many years and you eventually find yourself working for Ford. There's nothing wrong with that and I don't think they should be penalized. By penalized, I mean being forced to park elsewhere because you don't have a Ford.
It doesn't make sense that since you drive a Ford, you get prime parking. Employees get rewarded for buying Ford products through the various discounts they recieve and that should be enough. Instead, I go into debt to buy a Ford product so I can park close to the building... thats rediculous.
I am curious about the "lot across the street." What about the conditon of the lot? Gravel, mud, holes, who knows. How big is the street? Are there crosswalks or overpasses to get employees across the street? How far is it from the building? These types of things could propose potential dangers to Ford's employees. Say it is a busy two way, four lane street. If employees don't have a safe route across the street, they will be risking their lives every day to get into work. That would sure say a lot about that plant and how they feel about their employees. Now I'm just setting up assumptions since I haven't seen it and it could be no big deal. However, it could be a big deal depending on site and situation.
I also wonder how full or empty that lot close to the building gets. It's rediculous to make employees who drive another manufacturers car park out in the booneys especially if there are several open parking spaces in the main lot.
Paul's post with the example of the family situation says it all. Its just bad.
About the uniform bit, my dad works for FedEx Freight as an outbound supervisor. He is not allowed to wear any part of his uniform when he is not on the job. This even includes his hat. Talk about stupid.
Luckily I don't have any problems where I work. Since my company is MedStar Health, I am basically asked to go to a MedStar operated facility when I need to go to the hospital (which are the nearest hospitals around here for me). But that's cool because I get special treatment and discounts in the store and food court.
Daddy built Oldsmobiles in Lansing for 42 yrs. Almost always drove GM, and certainly if buying new, but if buying a used car, BUY AMERICAN, then spend your money where it will buy the best car. Personally it's been awhile since I've bought a new car, and I drive the Cougar for transportation. Wife drives a Caravan for transportation, And I have an 85 GMC for hauling parts, all because when I was looking for a car those were the most bang for the buck.
actuality the just cut the crown vic plant here in st.thomas down to one shift ...
Z
How doesn't this make sense?
Something tells me that they would frown on an 88 Cougar in there "special" lot. I bet they go so far as to it being newer Fords.
I would like to see someone drive up in a 75 pinto. What would they say?
Didn't know that. I'am going on what I think Ford sells the most. That "buy American" statement sucks. I bet 90% of you who say this shop at WalMart:D I personally think American cars suck as for quality, not all the models of course, their is some really good ones and relaible ones.
As far as the parking goes, I don't think it is any big deal for the employees. I hope it off the employees and start looking at imports when buying a vehicle. Maybe then Ford will realise that isn't their problem why the company is going downhill.
James
I mean it doesn't make sense to me.
I believe that parking privelages should be given to those with the highest seniority. For instance, some schmuck who has been working for say 2 years and bought a new Ford shouldn't get parking rights over someone who has been working for Ford for 20 years if they happen to drive a Chevy.
I think Claude is right. As an employee, for this situation, you would probably get more praise for purchasing a new Ford. They want the car you are
paying for to be a Ford, not the car you already paid for.
A job is a job. If i worked for Ford, and they said "you have to park across the street since you dont have a 2000 and above", id tell them to give me one or get over it.
I work at a truck shop, we work with primarily larger trucks, the smallest being F350's that are built for work, having utility beds and whatnot. Walk out into the employee parking, youll cound 3 cars out of something like 17 employee's, and it makes no difference to them. Just because i work on trucks doesnt mean im going to drive one.
I understand the point, but its relatively immature in my eyes.
A company is allowed to make any rules it feels is necessary to protect its image, brand, copyright, etc., and that seems to have been extended out into the parking lot in this case.
When we had a Hooters locally--and I know a lot of you guys will know what I'm talking about--the girls were not allowed to wear their uniforms outside of work (they also had to get an escort to their cars every night). If they got caught wearing the Hooters T-shirt, or orange shorts, outside of work, they got fired on the spot. This is an example of Hooters protecting their image. It was their rule, and all employees were expected to adhere to it if they still wanted their jobs there.
That's no different than Ford doing the same here. Except that, it's not a company-wide Ford policy yet, just one of this particular plant manager. The principle is the same.
And I think any Ford Motor Company product would qualify as a Ford vehicle, regardless of model year. At the Lordstown plant I've seen many different old and new GM vehicles in various conditions. So that should apply to Ford as well...Aston Martins, Jags, even Mazdas should qualify.
BTW, this rule is not uncommon in the corporate world at all, at least what I've seen. It happens more than you think...it just never gets publicity like this.
Well, it is privlaged parking. I think it just makes sense to buy what you make. Heck if it's me with all the layoff talks, I would be talking others into buying them also. Every employee needs to join the marketing team. This isn't a human rights violation or anything. I mean they still have a place to park. They didn't say you have to have a ford to work there or anything.
I personally agree with it. Every company does this in one form or another. We had similar policy's in effect at autozone regarding other merchant shopping bags and logo's.
But
This kind of advertises an image that they are trying to obtain. That Ford treats its employes better, and all Ford employes drive Fords. Even if this image is fake and manipulated.