This page will be archived May 14, 2000. Get your letters in soon!
Once again, due to the large amount of E-Mail I'm receiving, I'm forced to devote another entire page to the replies. I WOULD complain about this, but it IS a rather good indicator of the type of people who hit on Carl's AutoLink. If you wish to contribute to this page, you can send your comments by E-Mail to the address below. Please keep the letters under fifty words and remember - NO PROFANITY WILL TO POSTED ON THIS SITE!! Any letters I receive containing vulgar language will be promptly deleted from my mailbox. Lastly, keep checking this page as it will be updated as time allows. -Carl
I've been on the Motor Line for over fifteen years now and I have yet to see any of the major improvements we (the plant) were supposed to have gotten with all the past contracts. In fact, things have gotten much worse for us all after each and every agreement. I see no reason to believe that this 2000 local contract will be any different.
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Carl, you have another web site called "Abe's Tomb" on which you have a "shoot 'em" game. Can you change the pictures from monsters to those of our union and company leaders? I think the employees of Moron Assembly would have a ball shooting up pictures of Poffenberger, Carter, Ed Fire and Roth. -D
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I don't know what to expect with this contract coming up, I can only hope for the best. But I DO think our union should try to get us time and a half for working on Saturdays. It seems only fair to get paid extra for working on the weekends. That time should be spent enjoying life with family. There are rumors of a nice $4,000 signing bonus . . . I wouldn't vote for a contract without it. - M from Paint Dept.
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Personally, I don't think we should give a darn about what the next contract offers as long as GM gives us a $3000 or $4000 signing bonus! There're very few of us with 1995 seniority that think the plant will last 25 more years anyway. I say we should get all the money we can now! That way at least we'll have something in the bank when they lay us all off! -Material Girl
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About the upcoming contract vote... At the very least, I think we should get a detailed information packet of the proposed contract before being asked to vote on it. We never find out the negative aspects of our contracts until we try to write a grievance against the company. We deserve more than a summary this time! We should DEMAND more details before we vote! -J
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Dan Poffenberger's recent letter, dated 3-16-00, is yet another example of how the union and company must both believe we are nothing but a large group of small minded people! Our Shop Chairman (Poffenberger) used the same phrasing, sentence structure and terminology as every other union rep who has ever passed out a handbill since 1981! (Uh, make that with the exception of Huff!) It really doesn't take a brain surgeon to see that all these so called "updates" we've received from the different union leaders throughout the years were all written by the same person! If our union reps have such a fine grasp of the English language, why is it that they can't speak like they have more than a fifth grade education when you see them face to face? (Think of how Poffenberger spoke during our "forced" ISO celebration! What a farce!) Who's writing all these union handbills anyway . . . the company? Elvis?
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What's all this crap the union is promoting about a strike? GM would NEVER allow us to walk off our jobs when they make so much money from our swollen joints and bruised muscles! -Chassis
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Newer letters...
Carl, please post this. I think it's something everyone needs to see... The contract deadline is only a few days away now and they say an agreement has not been reached and management refuses to sit down at the table. That's what Poffenberger says. I say BULL !! No one believes that! I say an agreement has been reached maybe as far back as last October and this is all a big farce! But the real question is: what's going to be in the new contract that will further make our jobs more difficult? I think we should all think about that. I think we should also remember what was in that proposed contract we all turned down last fall. Management's new proposal may be worded a little differently, but what do you want to bet it'll be the same old song and dance? We're going to get it, boys and girls. We're going to get it bad! Let's just hope we get some big money out of this that will help ease the pain! Next question. Will we go on strike next Wednesday? I think yes! Only because the company can get what they want in the contract! By making us go without a paycheck for a few weeks, the union and company are both aware that we will sign almost anything to start getting paid again. That's really all I have to say, and please don't give any indication of my identity when you post this. I've lived a quiet life so far working for the Greedy Monsters (GM) and I don't need to be getting @#$% with now. Thanks, Carl.
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I agree with Material Girl all the way! Well, maybe we should hold out for more money, but yeah, everything else she says is right!
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I really can't believe it matters what we do, or how we vote. Like always, with our union the way it is, GM is going to get EXACTLY what they want. Oh, don't get me wrong, the union will take credit for getting the "best deal ever" and the company will play their part well also. But the deals have already been made. No one can persuade me differently. I've been there too long and I've seen too much. Somehow GM will get exactly what they want, just like they always do.
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It probably cost them some money, but I would say Moraine Assembly and Detroit already have this contract in the bag and all our union leaders are doing is blowing a lot of smoke in an attempt to convince us of how hard they are working in our favor. What a lotta crap! When have ANY of those @#$% #$% ever worked in our favor concerning the major issues? What did they work out for us last time, GETTING OUR FANS CLEANED?! Come on!
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Give me cold hard cash and I'll vote for anything. Period.
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Call me "Swinger" when you put this on the Internet, Carl. I use this nickname because I've been bumped from shift to shift so many times, I feel like I'm on some kind of swing shift! Anyway, I just hired in a few months ago and already I see how very few employees trust the union. I don't know if I trust our union or not, I haven't been there long enough to know yet. But I do know this: I came to work for GM for money, nothing else. If they offer $10,000 for a signing bonus, I think anyone would be a fool to turn it down.
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I foresee this as happening... We'll go on strike for 1 or 2 weeks. By that time, people will start missing their paychecks and won't be able to pay their bills. Then the company and union will get together for a mock "marathon bargaining session" and present to us the same basic package we were offered (and turned down) before. When they offer a carrot (I'd say not too much more than $2000) we'll all be so desperate, we'd be forced to sign. It's a sad way of thinking, but it will probably happen.
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I would like to enter a few comments about our current negotiations. We have an opportunity to truly close the gap on the things this plant gave up in the eighty's. GM has invested gross amounts of money in this area to start building vehicles. Everything GM does is constructed on time lines. They do not want the schedule for construction in this plant to fall any further behind than it has already. I'm in the trades and work closely with these engineers whose jobs are on the line if things get behind here (this includes all management to Roth). They do not want a strike!!! They knew long ago what they wanted to give us in our local contract. I guarantee it is no where near what we deserve. I think a strike would do this place some good. Let GM know what they lose when this plant is not putting trucks out the back door. This is failed logic simply because GM is a big dumb monster that will not learn from past experiences, but it may alleviate some of the BS politics played by management in this plant. I would like to see time-and-a-half for Saturday, a shorter time to reach parity, and a $10,000 signing bonus. Period. Nothing less. GM can easily afford this, but it does not come out of GM's pocket easily. M - Maintenance
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With Poffenberger in there, we don't stand a chance of getting a fair shake where this contract is concerned. What's worse, I can't think of anyone I would want to see in his place either. I believe anyone who the company allows to run for office will be of the type GM can manipulate in some fashion or another. As a work force, I think we can only look forward to more contracts that are more for the company's benefit than ours. If you put this on the net, don't put my name up either, Carl. I just got a good job and I don't want to lose it now. Thanks.
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A lot of people are saying that we don't have the new 360 project. The company isn't saying too much of anything. I saw it on the UAW web site: Oklahoma City got the lead, not us. Does this mean the end of C-crew? If we're going to get laid off anyway in a few years, shouldn't we get all the money we can right now? Please people! Don't vote to settle anything unless we get a $10,000 bonus!
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A lot of people in the plant right now are "STRIKE, STRIKE, STRIKE." This might have been the overwhelming answer 20 years ago to a labor dispute, when there was basically only three automakers, to get just about anything, but there is way too much competition in today's market to make a strike work for the good. All a strike does is issue a LOSE-LOSE situation. I'm not saying we aren't entitled to gaining some things back that have been lost in contracts before, but people need to look at the whole picture, not just the "now" picture when examining the current contract situation!
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I agree 100% with the person who claims we will only go on strike if the company wants us to. They've done @#$% like this before when Marlow was in office, haven't they? Go on strike just to make us worry about our money before voting on a contract? Shouldn't we be learning from our past mistakes here?
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Carl, I've read all of these letters your are putting here and I just have to say these people are being overly optimistic. Anyone who thinks GM is going to give us $10,000 for a signing bonus is nuts! Look, we've all been there long enough to know GM isn't going to give us anything they don't have to!! Why buy something when you can intimidate your way into getting it? GM deals in fear, plain and simple. Examples you want? Fine. Here's one. 1994 I think the year was. "If you don't vote to give all this up, we're going to close the doors!" Look what they cost us! Now they are basically saying, "If we don't have this schedule, we won't get the new model truck!" GM's routine never changes. Why won't we learn?
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People . . . PLEASE don't sent me E-Mail with 50 pounds of curse words included! Those of you who did, you may notice your messages aren't posted here... This last woman asks us the question, "Why won't we learn?" I ask why YOU won't learn? Almost every letter I get I have to delete without posting it because of the vulgarity. I will not put up letters that have so much vulgarity that I can't edit it out! There are too many children that hit this and my other sites for me to allow it! I'll post the letters if they make sense and if they are clean. That's my only promise! -Carl
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Hi, everybody! This is Material Girl again! Go for the MONEY!!! Go for the big bucks!!! GM knows what they are going to get in this contract. They've known it for months and there's not a sweet thing we can do about it! The union/company (is there really a difference between the two?) won't offer us anything that is substantial to our welfare and we should all be smart enough to realize that. We go to work everyday because we want the money. I don't think any of us go to work just because we have clean fans! And if what that one person says is true, that we don't have the lead in the 360 project . . . GO FOR THE $10,000 SIGNING BONUS FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!!
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GM deals is fear? No kidding! I just got fired recently (for missing 1 truck) because the company wanted to make an example out of me! That had everyone around me scared for months! Well, GM, I've learned my lesson. I am no longer scared! I'll even sign my name to the bottom of this letter just to prove it! GM, if you tell me that the plant will close if we don't do this, or that . . . DO IT! Just shut up and DO IT! Go on strike if we don't reach an agreement? FINE! Let's go! I'll spend some quality time with my husband and children. Ladies and gentlemen, pay attention here . . . GM starts most of the rumors we hear on the floor. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. GM probably told Poffenberger to start all this talk about a strike! They want to get us afraid to go on strike so we vote for their stupid raw deal they are about to offer us. GM, stop playing games! Treat us like adults, not like little children! -XXX
Darlin' . . . sorry about not posting your name like you want. I told people I wouldn't reveal their whole names and that's a promise I'll keep to the grave. Even GM knows by now that I keep my word. But don't worry too much, I think most everybody knows who you are anyway. There's only a few fine ladies on the plant who have such a "FINE! DO IT!" attitude like you do. And, babe, don't you EVER change! -Carl
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I'm disgusted! I just hired in a few months ago and all I've been hearing is how "corrupt" our union is! Give our reps a chance! We don't know yet what kind of contract we're going to get! Maybe afterward we'll have a right to complain, but not now! We could wind up with a good contract AND $10,000 in our pockets. Then what will you people have to say? Will you write letters of apology? I think not!
People, don't bother me with letters about this guy. I don't want to spend the next two days going through them. (Most of them won't be printable anyway, I imagine.) And he IS entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. He's new . . . he'll learn. We all did. -Carl
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I would just like to say that if we play this right, we could really come out winners after the negotiations are over. Look, GM needs the trucks. They need the construction to continue. They need to keep this plant one of their biggest money makers. Surely to God they don't WANT us to strike?! How can that be? If we do strike, and we hold out until we get something good, we'll all be better off. We might get time and a half for Saturdays, overtime for more than 8 hours, and who knows what all else. But we've got to HOLD OUT if we strike. We can't break down and sign the first (or second) contract that GM offers! Hold out and WIN! - Plain as Paint
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"Material Girl" has a very narrow-minded view of things when it comes to the auto industry. There's more to a contract than just money in our pockets. For example, say we get the $10,000 (we won't, but let's use that figure anyway) and there's no provisions in the new contract for any compensation if we shut down. How long will $10,000 (less after taxes) last if we no longer get a paycheck? Get a life, girl!
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Carl, I'm still waiting for that shoot-em-up game with a picture of Poffenberger. Are you going to make one, or aren't you? The guy is a jerk and deserves having people all over the world take potshots at him over the web! Will you PLEASE make one? -D
The only reason I'm replying to this asinine question is because of how many people have been asking me about this! The answer is no! It's stupid and I don't have time for it. The shoot-em game that I have now is enjoyed by kids all over the world who read my Abe's Tomb stories. I would just be wasting my time making another one up (with Poffenberger's ugly mug) when no one will ever play it again after the contract is over! How many MA employees will visit my sites again once the negotiations are over? Very few. Now, why I should waste my time, D? - Carl
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I'm married with four children, two of which are in college. I see the need for a strong union here, but I think we should all do a little praying that a strike (if there is one) won't last too long. I think if Mr. Poffenberger should see these letters, him knowing how we all feel, there's a chance he may change and begin working in our favor. I pray he does. -G
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I can't believe all the people who say they will sign any contract for the right amount of $! I agree that the contract will probably be no different from any other but there is no way I'm going to sell out for any amount of $. A good point an employee posted is the fact that we should get a detailed copy of the proposed contract. It amazes me that people will sign something that they can't read first. One more note: management should be paying union dues not us. Seems the union works for them. -P
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When this contract negotiations is over (which I'm sure we won't have gained anything) OUT WITH OUR UNION LEADERS!! We need new blood, not only new but young too, someone that isn't going to retire soon, and has a future at stake, and cares for all of our needs. p.s. We are among you! We are growing, and we will prevail! PSS. Thank you POFF and CO. , for your lame-duck reign is over, "In solidarity will you fall" - Angry M
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ITS DO OR DIE TIME PEOPLE! NO ONE IS HITTING THE POINT! WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS NOT ENOUGH! LETS PLAY THEIR GAME FOR A CHANGE. EVERYONE SEEMS TO ASSUME THAT A SIGNING BONUS AND TIME AND A HALF IS A PLEASANT IDEA! YOU SPINELESS FOOLS! YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR MORE THAN WHAT YOU REALLY WILL TAKE "STRIKE TILL IT HURTS" WE ALL HAVE HAD JOBS BEFORE THIS ONE! "STRIKE FOR US! STRIKE FOR OUR CHILDREN! STRIKE FOR WHAT A UNION REALLY IS!" -Angry M
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From the rumors floating around the plant, I see the company has gotten over on us again! Rumor has it that the $2000.00 signing bonus is coming out of our SUB fund! That's OUR money!!! What's next? Will the next contract have us paying GM just for the privilege of working there? And why won't the union tell us the details of this so-called "good" contract? Are they afraid to, or are they just waiting for Sunday so they can shove it down our throats by saying, "This is the best contract EVER! Ratify this agreement, or GM will close its doors here in Dayton!" I'm tired of this same old thing happening time and time again. Isn't anyone else? - Totally Disgusted With Our Union!
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I for one was hoping for a little more detailed handout than what the union people passed out at the gates... Unless they get pacific at the union meeting Sunday, which I doubt, we're going to have to vote without knowing what we're voting for.
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VOTE NO! -Material Girl
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With all the talk in the plant, I don't think anyone is satisfied with only 2000 dollars. I think almost everyone was expecting more.
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Dear GM... PPPHSSSSRRRRIIIISSSTTT!! (The official Philly raspberry) to your stupid contract!
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Hey everybody, $2000.00 is better than NOTHING! And it's not a BAD contract...
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I think the bottom line here is: We could have of got more. Vote no! - Sam, Chassis
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Didn't we run out of sub credits back in 1979? I thought the SUB money ran out . . . where did this $2000.00 REALLY come from, Poff?! -Frigibriar
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I just don't trust all this . . . better vote no. Maybe the next offer will be better.
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I hear a good amount of people in the plant mad that the signing bonus is not more. First of all, $2,000 dollars should be the least of everyone's thoughts for it will be spent before you know it. The big issue is that I hear people wanting to strike over it!? If this is the sole reason people do not like the contract, they need to do some simple math. If we go out for longer than 2 weeks, any extra money that would be added on the the signing bonus (if any!!!) would be lost in making up for the lost wages. Don't get me wrong, I would not have been mad if it was more, but doing a simple calculation makes it not look too bad, especially when what we have seen so far looks good........(to be continued after Sunday meeting)........ - Body Man
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They say the time and a half doesn't start until next year, though it is for now only rumor. They say the signing bonus came out of our SUB account, though Poffenberger claims it came out of an old Frigidaire SUB account. They say we asked for a $5000.00 signing bonus, though settled for only two. All I can say is: they better come up with some pretty clear details Sunday if they expect any type of order in the Nutter Center at all! -Confused.
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I agree with the majority of the people in the plant in that we COULD have gotten a lot more out of GM. I also agree with the majority in that we should just vote this down and wait for more. Strike? Why not? How long will GM allow us to be out? A few days at most? The only way we're going to negotiate a good contract is show the company that we mean business. We CAN'T just accept the first offer that comes along! Time and a half all day Saturday starting immediately after ratification. $5000.00 signing bonus. A shorter time to reach parity, say five years instead of ten! Come on GM! Wipe the dust off your checkbooks and pay us what we're worth! If we can't get something better than this, the answer is simple . . . STRIKE! (PS We DID run the SUB credits (and money) out of the sub fund back in 1980! I know we did because I called the union hall back then and asked Bart Campbell why my sub pay stopped! Where DID this money come from?)
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I can see now that we are all sick and tired of being threatened by not only the company, but by our union representatives as well. Today's union meeting was nothing but another example of how stupid our union (and management) think we are. They threatened us with terms like "1 out of 3 people will get laid off" and "vote this in or be prepared for a long term STRIKE!" I counted no less than seven different times that I heard some type of threat by either Poffenberger, or the "Guy in Bleu!" And to back up these threats, did our union officials use common sense and facts? Of course not. They used their most favored weapon . . . lies. I won't even bother reiterating them, they were that stupid. In fact, Poffenberger's lies were so transparent, not a single individual in the Nutter Center was fooled. With the lack of information packets, with the lack of good solid facts, Poffenberger's lies actually HELPED this membership, I believe. They alone were enough so members could understand that if this proposed contract was worth the paper it was written on, there wouldn't have been a need for Poffenberger to act that way. Poffenberger's lies today destroyed any chance of the proposed contract passing. In my opinion, the only sensible remarks from down on the floor came from Becky, the Skilled Trades rep. Everyone else down there was just either lying, or threatening. Now, I guess I have to be honest here... I was going to vote "yes" for the contract before today. Before I witnessed this afternoon's example of total incompetence in Poffenberger, I believed that we stood no chance of getting a better contract. Now, however, I know better. This coming week, I will vote to turn down this agreement in hopes of getting something that benefits us, not the company. However, I strongly suggest we get someone else to bargain for us in the future. After today, I seriously doubt Poffenberger could negotiate with a five year old and come out the victor. (I must have been out of my mind to have once voted for him.) - Finally Seeing the Light!
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Poffenberger, I told you to your face today, and now I'm telling the entire world . . . you're nothing but a half ton of BULLSHIT! Vote "NO" everybody! After today's fiasco at the Nutter Center, we no longer have a choice. If the union and GM get away with this @#%^, there will be no end to their reign of terror in the future!
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Today was absolutely insulting to my intelligence! Our union negotiators must think we're dumber than a pound of beef jerky if they thought we'd believe that garbage they tried to lay on us! We've been lied to by better people that you, Poffenberger! At least THEIR lies made a little sense! You and your buddies tried to intimidate and threaten us with your lines of rhetoric and your coined "union" terminology! You are nothing but a pack of lying idiots! -signed - Go Straight to Hell!! Vote NO!!!
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There were not enough packets for even ten percent of the people that showed up (only around 350). Our union officials did not attempt to give us any cold, hard facts other than predictions of "Doom and Gloom." What did we get up early for? If I want a work of fiction, I'll go to the library! Something is VERY wrong with this contract, Brothers and Sisters! The way the union officials were acting today, the way they put on such a big show in the beginning . . . I think we better not vote for this contract. I think we'd be making a HUGE mistake!
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I caught Poffenberger in two lies today. How many times DIDN'T I catch him? He TALKED a lot, but actually said very little that was believable after beginning with a pack of lies! As of today, the only reason I have to vote for the proposed contract is because Poffenberger wants us to. He lied to me today. That means he's hiding something! If he's hiding something, I'm voting no!
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To the young man today that said the SUB money that we are getting for a signing bonus should go to the old Frigidaire employees, that it was rightfully our money... We blew it son. That's why the union is what it is today. It's your turn now, yours and everyone else who hired in under the competitive wage agreement. Go in there and don't be afraid to stick up for yourselves (and your rights) like we were afraid to do back in the late sixties. Go in there and MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Son, I'm retiring soon, and I'm just sorry I couldn't have left you a better place to work. (He signed his name, but I didn't post it. It doesn't matter, you'd have to be on drugs not to know this guy. Damn, but I hate to see people like this leave! -Carl)
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5/7/00 Mr. Poffenberger stated today that Oklahoma City did NOT receive a signing bonus for their local contract... Click here to see the reply I received from Oklahoma City when I E-Mailed them! People, I too was very disappointed in today's union meeting! No information at all, just Mr. Poffenberger trying to defend himself. Today's meeting was the first one I have attended in a very long time. I remember now why I stopped going. It's not even 6PM yet and already I've received almost 100 E-Mails from those of you who either went to the meeting, or from those who have heard about it. These few I've already posted are all the letters I'm going to put up today. Sorry, no time. I'll go over a few more within the next few days. -Carl
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As contracts go, this one doesn't appear too bad, I suppose, though I am disappointed that we didn't get 1 1/2 pay for all day Saturday. It looks like the old Frigidaire people will make out okay though. I'm glad for them. My main concern is with the lack of information. I went to the meeting today and I couldn't believe it when the union officials claimed they were already out of packets, that there wasn't enough to go around. The funny thing about that was: I arrived very early and there were only a few people there at that time. How many did the union print out, a dozen copies? Another thing: Why did it turn into a bitching session instead of our leaders giving us more information? That didn't seem right to me either. Just what is in that contract that they don't want us to see? -T
Who you calling old?!!? -Carl (#$%^ I hate kids!)
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You know, after the meeting today I was thinking, this stupid contract just might pass! We know very little about it. The union won't tell us anything. Our signing bonus comes out of SUB pay? Poffenberger is lying to us now about Oklahoma? THAT hit hard! Can anybody tell me why they think that is? But everything considered, the contract still might pass. Why? Because there are too many @#$%^ cowards in the plant who live from week to week on their paychecks and they can't afford to go on strike for a week or so! If the union accomplished anything at all today, it was them putting the fear of "STRIKE!" in a lot of fools. Like that one guy said, nobody WANTS to go on strike . . . but sometimes that option becomes necessary! Look, everybody, I HIRED ON IN 1995 AND I'M STILL ON COMPETITIVE WAGE! I can afford a few weeks off work, why can't YOU? I say we make our union leaders sit down at the bargaining table for another month or so to try and get us a better contract. If they won't, or can't, then we go on strike for as long as it takes . . . and vote in new officials in the next election! -sign this "The Blonde Hussy," Carl. I like my job too much also. (But I do NOT like your !@#$ JOKE website! Too many "blonde" jokes!"
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We don't understand why everyone is complaining. Poffenberger and that other guy today BOTH said they tried as hard as they could and this is the best contract they could get! Give the guys a break! After all, WE ARE THE ONES who elected them! -S&T
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I was wrong, plain as day. I could have sworn the time and a half was not going to start until January 2000 like the rumors had it. But that was the ONLY thing I was wrong about! I don't see why we couldn't have gotten time and a half for ALL DAY (or night) on Saturdays like any NORMAL union has! I'm afraid I'm going to have to vote no until we get it. Next item! My biggest complaint on the meeting today (besides no handouts!) was the terrible PA system! Poffenberger was too hard to understand. I realize he might have some type of speech impairment, but that sure doesn't account for why everyone else speaking was also difficult to understand! And I thought it too cute that the union's microphones were turned up louder than ours! Yeah, TOO cute! -BigBadBoy
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I would first like to say that this contract does not reflect the proper reward to the members of Local 798. My brothers and sisters have made this one of the most profitable plants in GM’s arsenal. We have seen through the media that GM is recording record profits quarter after quarter. Times are good for GM, largely due to this plant and its tiered wage agreement. What bothers me most is the lack of respect that GM has shown the members of this plant. I’ve said it in previous e-mail that GM can afford to give us so much more than it has. The problem is that the more we collect the less upper management has to bank on. This means that they will be unable to buy that new bass boat they have been eyeing, their summer place in Florida will not be redecorated, they won’t be able to purchase that new corvette for their 16 year old daughter, etc….. You get the picture. I know the Bargaining Committee is exhausted, but they knew what they where getting into when they ran for election. I have absolutely no problem sending them into the lion’s den again until they get it right. Like many of you, I am afraid to go on strike. My wife is suffering from condition that has her paralyzed and bed ridden. I am feeling the pinch financially and mentally due to this. A strike could not possibly come at a worst time in my life. I have four children to care for on top of it all. I WILL SAY THIS LOUD AND CLEAR SO THAT EVERYONE IN THIS UNION UNDERSTANDS…………I WILL PROUDLY GO ON STRIKE WITH THIS MEMBERSHIP BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE IN THIS CAUSE. I would not be the strong role model to my wife and children if I did not stand up for myself. I would not be a strong role model to them if I did not stand up for my brothers and sisters. I will VOTE NO because it is the right thing to do. Let the message be sent to Detroit that the workers in Dayton will not tolerate any more disrespect. Let are Union officials know that their “BEST” was not good enough. -Maintenance M
M, if we had more people like you in the plant, we wouldn't be in the situation we are in today. Hang in there and stay hard! -Carl
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I have never read so much bull in my life until I stumbled across this page, this is not a knock on you Carl, you are performing a service. It is a knock however on some of the idiots that decide to post here. I can't believe all of the negativity over the contract. What do you people want, something for nothing? I never heard of a signing bonus until last contract and now you want all you can get, maybe I'm different, I hope for a lot but am usually happy with what I receive. It is after all $2000 for doing nothing but voting for a contract. You people wouldn't be happy if they gave you a year's salary for staying home, or so it seems. As for parity, did you or did you not know it took ten years to reach parity when you hired in? It would be nice if OUR Union could negotiate a quicker rise to parity but is that even realistic to ask let alone expect? After all GM can hire full-rate employees anywhere, what helps us out IS the competitive wage agreement, it's why we have a product today and a new one on its way. Note to BigBadBoy for your information I was at Nutter and I'm pretty sure all of the microphones were UNION microphones. If you don't realize even YOU are in this Union then maybe you should kindly excuse yourself and find the nearest door. By now you probably realize I voted YES on this contract, I am truly proud of the time and effort our Bargaining Committee put in to reach this agreement. Could it have been better? Things can always be better but it could have been and always has been a lot WORSE, I've been around long enough to know a good contract when I see one and this is one. I don't wish to go on strike but if that is what this Union votes to do then I will be at the barrels REPRESENTING MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF IUE LOCAL 798 FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES. Prepared for the worst and praying for the best. -UnionMan, Local 798
I must apologize for the quality of this letter people, to everyone in general and mainly UnionMan. Usually, when I get a letter in my E-Mail, I take the time to revamp the grammar a little. In this case, I didn't have the time. UnionMan, your writing is no worse than 99% of the other people, I'm just sorry I posted it without revamping it first as I did most of the others. - Carl
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Well, we've done it, boys and girls. We've ratified the contract and the majority of us are stuck with it for four years. Maybe now these young kids will understand what we went through back in 1993 when we were forced into signing the "Big Giveaway" contract. The comp wage kids can no longer say we didn't have any guts, they just went through the same thing we did, and the results were the same. -Retiring VERY Soon
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Hey, UnionMan! Don't avoid the issue! Regardless of how I phrased my opinion, the truth is: your microphones WERE turned up louder than ours! Yours reverberated, while ours could barely be heard unless we talked loudly! And don't you DARE call me your "brother!" I consider a "brother" someone I can TRUST! Who are you anyway? Poffenberger? You make just about as much sense! -BigBadBoy
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There's a petition going around the plant to have a recount of
the ballots. It seems there are those who believe the tallying of the
votes was not entirely honest. I don't know. When you talk to people
in the plant, most of them claim they voted "NO" on the
contract. But how can you really believe anyone? Most of the people
we work with are afraid of their jobs while at the same time, they put up a big
front. "I'm gonna vote NO!" they claim for all to hear.
Those same cowards will then flip the "YES" switch when they get
inside the booth. Best thing to do is not listen to anyone or anything
other than your own heart. You can't believe the company, the union
officials, or even the person working next to you. Everyone who walks
through those gates is a liar, myself included at times. -L
Not everyone, Darlin'. There are some people I know who would rather "Die than Lie." Those people are rare indeed, but they are out there. -Carl
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There's no way in @#$% that vote had a margin of 2187 to 1218! Who is @#$% kidding who here? I was AT the @!#$% union meeting and all I heard until I got disgusted and left was "STRIKE!" What happened after 2:30? Did 2/3 the people's minds suddenly turn into @#$% jelly? I don't think so! In my opinion, those @#$% @#$ machines were @#$% with!! @#$% that @#$% place! -!@#$
Normally I wouldn't even consider putting up a letter like this. As you readers can see, there are so many curse words, it barely makes sense. It's even comical. However, with all the irate letters I'm receiving regarding this matter, I simply wanted everyone to see what I'm going through when it comes to editing out the curse words. What is it with some of you guys, anyway? When I say "Don't curse if you want to be posted!" does that make you want to curse more? I'm telling you . . . LITTLE KIDS ARE JUMPING TO THIS SITE FROM MY ABE'S TOMB WEBSITE! If you want to be posted, be CIVILIZED! -Carl
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I just want to say that I'm glad the negotiations are over and the contract has passed. I don't like the contract, and I didn't vote for it. I think we should have gotten time and a half for all day Saturday. But at least now that it's history, I don't have to hear about it anymore. I'm tired of the bickering. I'm tired of the lies and threats. I just want to put all this behind me and try to make it through each day without injuring myself on the job. It's over, let it rest. -Sick and Tired
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There was a guy at the gate this morning with a petition to vote again. I think we should. Something was wrong with this whole thing if you ask me. A near two-to-one margin doesn't fit with what I hearing. -Vote Again
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