Need You Ladies and Gents to do this A.S.A.P.

[vaderv]

Hello, as some might know already I work for Ford's.
This decontenting is getting out of hand and has negatively impacted my wallet, i.e. layoffs. I don't know why but the idiots in charge can't figure out that you dont gain market share by stripping out units to try to maximise profits.
To get to my point. Everyone who has a friend or relative that has bought or is considering a Ford, Merc or Lincoln please write or call Ford's and complain. Please take the time. It's getting out of hand and downright embarrasing for us "line rats". I'm asking as a favor to us line rats and yourselves. It does make a diff! I can't show you the paperwork for fear of losing my job but I can tell you that I personally see every complaint and warranty expenditure that comes through my Focus plant. I am a Paint Repair Utility Man. If I see it, every big-shot before me has seen it.
It's gotten to the point that we are fighting management to build a quality unit. In other words the quality gains at the Focus plant I work at are despite managements best efforts!
So help us line rats help you. COMPLAIN! Edward St.Antoine, Wayne Assy. Dept 2-40-f. I put my name here to show how serious I am...

[RCSignals]

who specifically should we contact. Is the Ford customer telephone number enough?

[vaderv]

Its a start I'll get a few more numbers.

[Warpath]

Ford has a high number of assembly man hours per vehicle compared to its competition especially foreign competitors. I think the layoffs you are referring to are probably partially due to specific efforts to reduce headcount. Cost reduction/decontenting is only part of it. They need to find ways to put the cars together with fewer people to be competitive. Before you think that getting rid of people isn't right and what about loyalty (which I agree), Ford needs to make these changes if it still wants to be in remain in business. Toyota is kicking their ass - GMs and DCs too BTW. The last quarter, the big three lost sales where Toyota made a substantial gain comparitively. Soon, Toyota will be one of the big three if not the biggest.

[merc406]

The Big 3 are all out of control, they have a hefty retiree payout and the working stiffs get the axe to try and help control costs. Supplier's fed-up with being asked to do it cheaper, are, in China or any other cheap labor market where people live on dirt floors. Eventually something's gonna give, and it won't be pretty.