Zastava_101

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/01/c...as-workers-pr/

Chrysler is reportedly having a hard time ramping up production of its 2013 Ram 1500. According to The Detroit News, only 16 of the 58 trucks built at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant during the model's first hour passed final inspection. While quality eventually improved over the course of the day, just over half of the units built on Thursday were approved for shipment. Even with workers ordered to stay late to fix their mistakes, some 1,078 units remained outside the facility with defects. The problem, according to workers at the plant, is morale.

According to the report, Chrysler recently changed the shift schedule at the plant and workers are unhappy with the new situation. The new plan has workers split into three shifts, each covering four 10-hour days. With the shifts staggered, some workers now have to work nights and on Saturdays. Some employees are so upset that they've taken to protesting, though the move isn't sanctioned by the United Auto Workers.

Meanwhile, Chrysler admits there were internal issues with the launch, but that the company was able to contain them. A spokesperson has said "plant quality indicators are getting progressively better."

rhumb

Perhaps Chrysler would do better to treat their employees as human beings rather than abstract mechanical assets to be shifted around at will.

I do wonder what a normal production ramp up would look like in terms of smoothing out all the processes so as to ensure an initial high-level of quality with the need for subsequent rework?

2k7gtcs

They should be happy to have jobs

Evil_Capri

Same plant/employees that were tokin' on some reefer?! (Probably not, but I don't feel like looking! And seems germane to the topic.)

tom281

Ah poor workers got their shift changed (apparently within the ability outlined in their cba) and now are effectively slowing production down because their feelings are hurt. Don't like it, find a new job is an option.

t-fatty

I'll take on of those terrible $30 hr jobs, rotating hours and all!

Ethanjbeau

Perhaps they should be happy they have jobs. If they're purposely making defects in the product, Chrysler should find new workers who are willing to work the new schedule.

Plenty of people work 50-60 hours a week in this country on salary with no overtime. I regularly work 45 or so and don't get paid any extra. The jobs got to get done. Does it suck? Sure. But work isn't supposed to be fun unless you're lucky.

AlsCobra

Well a man that has been working the day shift for 20 years suddenly has to start working a night shift and rotating. It sucks. Screws up his whole way of life. So yes I would be pissed too. This should have been agreed to by the majority of the workers. But to screw up or slow down production is not a good option and the suspect employees should be dealt with. Seems there are easier ways to make both parties satisfied and keep production and quality levels up. But this is Chrysler were talking about.

cdynaco

Dang Italians. Always gotta be da boss.




Right on topic IMO.

cdynaco

You're FIRED! You're ALL effin FIRED!

Oh wait... wrong movie. This is a union movie.


I would have loved 4/10's. Beats 5/12+'s every week of the year!!

Plus UAW pay + bennies, there are profit sharing incentives to improve efficiency. I think these must have been the dope smokers to wreck their own bonus! doi

AlsCobra

Italians or Degos? There's a difference.
Yeah but in all seriousness, changing a mans schedule that drastically will **** anyone off. Not just union workers. That screws up the workers entire way of life that they have been working for years. They will definitely lose vacation days off and of course less off days now compared to a 12hr EOWEO schedule. Overtime will be cutback because of the overlapping shifts. Not blaming them for being upset.

I am blaming them if they are screwing up production on purpose. The job should always be priority. But I'm sure the company wouldn't make these kinds of changes without the union agreeing to it. There is always a contract that is agreed to by both parties.

cdynaco

I understand but millions of workers are given schedules on fairly short notice. Like you said, I bet there was advance notice but the article skips that. And as for salespeople - Ethan is right - whatever it takes to get the job done is all that matters.
We didn't 'check with our union' rep. We paid attention to taking care of the customer. And compensation is rewarded accordingly.

This issue is not much different from the following. The 'group boys' decided they didn't like the decision so they wrecked their own futures - and some are either going to jail or being punished in other ways.

Real smart.

AlsCobra

Well we don't really get any type of incentives to do a better job than normal but we realize that if we don't, there might not be a job to do. Other nearby facilities do some profit sharing and bonuses but of course they are not union. We have a good job but it could always be better. Sabotage is inexcusable. Sabotage in a facility like ours may cost lives instead of just money.

cdynaco

UAW has been receiving some decent ps bonuses.

Profit sharing for hourly is the only way to go IMO. Its like salary + commish for salespeople. Everybody is on the same page trying to make the customer happy at the lowest cost (not counting employee compensation).

AlsCobra

Yeah we don't get any of that. It would be nice to improve relations with us and the company but no doubt we still have a good job. Would probably give us a little more incentive to do even better but we do a good job regardless.

AlsCobra

Yup. But we make a very good living doing what we do. P.S. might get more out of us but I could work here till retirement and not be upset.

Flagstang

these guys are cry babies.... They work production work and its not the same a retail or other jobs. In the production world you build and if you fail QC you should be canned.

bob

Where are the supervisors and managers responsible for these guys? Perhaps thats part of the problem?

It could be a case where unions have effectively allowed the inmates to run the asylum and it makes being a manager or supervisor all that much harder but I find alot of this stems from ineffective management.

Frankly a manager or supervisor who sits on thier *** in the office all day and/or who is afraid to criticize - document - correct thier suborndinates isn't doing thier job.

So I wonder how much of that is going on at the plant?

houtex

The supers and managers can't sit there and force everyone to do a good job on each and every vehicle and part. That's just... not gonna happen.

And.. perhaps they're in on it too? Who knows...

Also, seems the plant could conceivably have to shut down or idle due to the trucks not selling... don't suppose the workers could think that far ahead though... And I'm sure it won't happen, which is where this mini-protest comes into play: They can't be fired or idled easily.

In this economy, they have jobs. There's something to be said about that. And at their income level and benefits packaging too, pretty sweet. They're not asking for blood, just a little time.

And while I'm at it, at least they have a shift. I don't. I have to work all kinds of weird hours, as well as work 7 days a week in some cases. I'd love a little stability and the ability to not work on a Monday or Tuesday or something and never worry about having to get a call of "OMG THE BUILDING IS BURNING DOWN" type.

Insufferable malcontents. Fire them. All of them. THIS is why Unions aren't a good idea after they get the contracts. TRACON people learned that the hard way.

/Do not get me wrong, union is great when there's inequality. There isn't in this case, to hear it.

AlsCobra

You might be on to something there. I'm sure it's like our plant, supervisors are not union. They are usually the sorriest, laziest, clueless guys in the plant. But they kiss middle managements *** really well. Out of the six supervisors we have, one guy I can say is a genuinely good guy. He's bat **** crazy but ill take care of him. The rest will get no bonus because of me. But those guys get treated worse than us most of the time. Lol