Tower Defense/ Aerospace Factory Workers Party at Lunch

[ddaydetroit]

I have seen first hand over the years many work related injuries from employees being high and drunk at work over the years in different shops. I have also seen the quality of workmanship and productivity go down and bad attitudes from people partying before and during work with out hesitation I say fire them all. Drunk driving on a hilo is no less dangerous then drunk driving in a car.


I personally worked for a company that had military vehicles welded by this company and the welds were bad fortunately quality control and some good welders were able to grind and arc gouge out the bad welds and re weld them out before anyone got hurt in the field as soon as the company I was working for got production up to speed in our shop we pulled all the work out of tower/w industries

[Ravine]

I do object to guys getting toasted and then returning to job-assignments like those, but I see it as a problem within the company. If they turn out bad product, deal with returned goods and lose contracts, and don't investigate and act, they are at fault and will be forced to deal with the consequences.
My objection is to Rob Wolchek. If he spent less time making out the laborers to be scoundrels and no-goodniks, and more time on investigating the ways that Corporate America and the banking industry have, like vampires, sucked the life-blood out of America, he would be bringing to light a larger problem, and doing all of us much more good, than he accomplishes by putting a handful of blunt-smokers under the hot lights and getting them fired.
I realize that not every reporter is that serious of a journalist, but that's why I respect some and see others as small-time sensationalists.

[FlyingJ]

I think the shithead from Fox2 is begging for an ass-kicking and probably should watch his back.
I think it's none of his business, none of your business, and none of my business.

If you've lost enlisted family due to "equipment failure" in the sandbox I'd damn well say it's your business. Uncle Carl's gonna have a hard time bringin' the sugar back home when these clowns pull this vintage Big 3 crap.

I'm getting sick and tired of the on slam on the UAW. You make us out to be the devil. We are not the devil, but just people like you. Down your street. Live with it.

It's not your street where it's a problem, it's on the Arab Street. The DoD will have the final say, no proud UAW member would pull this-as it only paints Michigan as the tarnished buckle of the Rust Belt where union bylaws mean you can't get rid of a drunken felon. It's a great way to get this contract punted down to South Carolina or Alabama or Texas. Remember how bad Hyundais were in the 1980's? Those guys jumped on that quality control so they're the highest ranked around. So now we've got a Detroit assembly line & it's same-old, same-old. Great

[Ravine]

If you've lost enlisted family due to "equipment failure" in the sandbox I'd damn well say it's your business. Uncle Carl's gonna have a hard time bringin' the sugar back home when these clowns pull this vintage Big 3 crap.

It's still a problem within the company. That same company may employ stone-cold sober workers who, through stupidity or carelessness, turn out unsafe products. Or, they could have efficient, sober workers and still produce unsafe products due to purchasing inferior materials.
As I stated it, the problem is within the company. If the company is turning out unsafe product and that leads to your "equipment failures," they will have the problems they deserve, and they will either solve them or go out of business due to lawsuits or lost contracts.
All it takes, to see that the company has some on-going issues, is the very thing we saw, but singling out, and video-fingering, a handful of guys? If those guys are fired, will that cause you to believe that Tower's problems are over and it would then be safe to have the military resume contracting out jobs to them? Would that satisfy you that the problem is solved, and Tower's over-all quality-control is no longer a weak point?

[oldredfordette]

I really don't give a fuck what you people think about unions or workers, but I honestly honestly don't understand why anybody with an IQ over 50 even watches television "news". Is this news or is this more happy horseshit disguised as news? It makes you all look very stupid, arguing the fine points of this crap. Kill your television.

[SteveJ]

I'm willing to bet these guys aren't in a union or have passed a drug test. I worked in a plant about 7-8 years ago when I was still in school and boy did I see some interesting things and made me feel sorry for them. Smoking weed before the shift started. Liquid lunch. Drinking more after the shift. There was no way this placed I worked for would have had any workers left if they took a drug test and just like these guys had government contracts. I'm betting the pay at this place is $9 hour just like the pay for me. But these guys are idiots for talking on the camera and smoking weed out in the open. At least conceal it.

[compn]

how come wolchak didnt ask to see their medical marijuana cards?

[Ravine]

I really don't give a fuck what you people think about unions or workers, but I honestly honestly don't understand why anybody with an IQ over 50 even watches television "news". Is this news or is this more happy horseshit disguised as news? It makes you all look very stupid, arguing the fine points of this crap. Kill your television.

I would have thought you might not be so smugly dismissive of an argument that discusses heavy-handed vilification of American laborers.
I don't even like the goddam TV, and I sure as hell don't watch Fox2 News; it seemed to me that Wolchek's obnoxious yipping-terrier approach to "investigative reporting" was getting a pass, here, and that's why I joined in.
Fortunately, whether or not I look stupid is not a concern, to me.
I think it's your blanket implication that we all watch TV news... yeah, that's what bugs me, that's it.

[Richard]

This is not Detroit specific media there are stories like this in other cities usually it is about following city workers around and catching them sleeping in their trucks during the day under a nice shade tree.

I can imagine come Monday morning the company will be getting a phone call from their insurance carrier with a conversation about what will happen when somebody gets hurt and the standerd accident alcohol and drug test is performed and then the person that got hurt has a mile long list of attorneys as the insurance companies know 70% of the time it is the non intoxicated ones that get hurt.

they will have no choice but to act as it is documented now or has been known for some time ,I guess some job openings will become available,funny thing about employment ,there is always somebody or other cities a little bit hungrier that would cherish a stable job and just maybe wait, what 3 more hours to have that toke or beer.

No worries there is always section 8, food stamps etc who really needs a job anyways.

[oldredfordette]

Was I talking to you, Ravine? Excuse me.

[Ravine]

It makes you all look very stupid, arguing the fine points of this crap.

..................

[SteveJ]

Well they had an update last night on this story. The workers are suspended and probably will be fired. They are in a union. The owner claims he just purchased this company and "inherited" these workers. Either way, their will be some job openings coming up.

[Zacha341]

For new hires they will probably be doing drug screenings, ICHATs and other background check methods.

I started working for a company that had a full page in their employee handbook re. their 'expectation' that you not perform your duties [[in this case using computers for work required) under the influence, nor partake of substances during time at work.

Well they had an update last night on this story. The workers are suspended and probably will be fired. They are in a union. The owner claims he just purchased this company and "inherited" these workers. Either way, their will be some job openings coming up.

[13074Glenfield]

Ha. Yeah. And pay no attention to those cocksucking, criminal bankers using your tax money to throw a fuckin' party in the Bahamas after crashing the economy.

Was there some big party in the Bahamas?

[bailey]

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd
Ha. Yeah. And pay no attention to those cocksucking, criminal bankers using your tax money to throw a fuckin' party in the Bahamas after crashing the economy.
Was there some big party in the Bahamas?

Nice to see the casual homophobia still going strong around here. Cocksuckers? really?

unless, of course, someone can tell me what else we're supposed to infer when someone calls a group of people [[generally understood to be made up of mostly men) cocksuckers?

[313WX]

I think the shithead from Fox2 is begging for an ass-kicking and probably should watch his back.

It's the responsibility of that company to produce quality parts. That means having some quality-control procedures in place. If the company turns out, and sells, shoddy merchandise that results in someone's safety being at hazard, that's the company's fault; no lawsuit will be filed against the blunt-smoking lunchers.
The company knows that, so if they don't care to watch out for the guys getting wasted on their breaks, that's their problem, not mine, and I'm sick and goddam tired of shit-stirrers such as Wolchek sticking their noses into other folks' affairs and then expecting us to join him in a collective gasp of horror and indignation.
If he wants to follow people around and Fox2 wants to pay him to act as some kind of TV-News organ-grinder, that's their choice, but I'm not going to be his monkey. I've got plenty enough, of my own concern, to fret about without vibrating into a breathless, overwrought cold sweat over what some guys are doing during their fuckin' lunch, and I'm not going to become hysterical just because a jackass such as Wolchek thinks it's time for us to get mad as hell and not take it anymore.
I think it's none of his business, none of your business, and none of my business.

I completely agree with this, and also Detroitnerd and statsu.

Really, the bottom feeders with their marching orders from New York at WJBK really need to go away. This is exactly why I've been going out of way to boycott their newscasts. If it isn't Detroit bashing then it's conservative propaganda to satify the big wigs [[Murdoch and Ailes) in New York.

[313WX]

The most alarming thing to me is that with the high unemployment rate that this state has these are the best employees this company could find? Aside from the stupidity of drinking and smoking pot out in the open at the party store the ones that opened their mouths in front of the camera came across as idiots. God help the people that didn't make the cut and were turned down for these jobs.

That fault also goes to management, not the employees.

Management needs to learn how to properly find and train competent employees if they want to avoid certain financial and legal trouble.

[FlyingJ]

This is not Detroit specific media there are stories like this in other cities usually it is about following city workers around and catching them sleeping in their trucks during the day under a nice shade tree.

yup;
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/...-pipe-on-duty/

[Zacha341]

Not the most wonderful thing to call someone but you get 'homophobia' out of it?

Well ok....

Nice to see the casual homophobia still going strong around here. Cocksuckers? really?

unless, of course, someone can tell me what else we're supposed to infer when someone calls a group of people [[generally understood to be made up of mostly men) cocksuckers?

[rjk]

I think it's none of his business, none of your business, and none of my business.

Is it the business of the widow of a soldier who died in one of the vehicles that this company had a part in producing? I read a quote from a wife of a soldier who said [[I'm paraphrasing) If my husband is risking his life fighting in a war is it too much to ask that the people who are building the equipment that they're using to not be smoking pot and drinking beer? If I worked at this company and I witnessed people smoking pot, drinking beer or doing drugs I'd rat them out in a second. My conscience wouldn't allow me to look the other way knowing the importance of the product being produced.

As far as quality control, if QC was all that we wouldn't have lemon laws.

[Scottathew]

More anti-worker propaganda. Fuck you, Fox.

Anti-worker propaganda? I don't quite see it that way. I think most people will see it as the outrageous actions of a handful of individuals that have no regard for other people, no sense of responsibility, and are so selfish that they can't wait 8 hours to go home and dope it up.

As to your feelings toward Fox, that's exactly how I feel about the Fox News Channel! [[although I don't mind WJBK)

[Buy American]

I think the shithead from Fox2 is begging for an ass-kicking and probably should watch his back.

It's the responsibility of that company to produce quality parts. That means having some quality-control procedures in place. If the company turns out, and sells, shoddy merchandise that results in someone's safety being at hazard, that's the company's fault; no lawsuit will be filed against the blunt-smoking lunchers.
The company knows that, so if they don't care to watch out for the guys getting wasted on their breaks, that's their problem, not mine, and I'm sick and goddam tired of shit-stirrers such as Wolchek sticking their noses into other folks' affairs and then expecting us to join him in a collective gasp of horror and indignation.
If he wants to follow people around and Fox2 wants to pay him to act as some kind of TV-News organ-grinder, that's their choice, but I'm not going to be his monkey. I've got plenty enough, of my own concern, to fret about without vibrating into a breathless, overwrought cold sweat over what some guys are doing during their fuckin' lunch, and I'm not going to become hysterical just because a jackass such as Wolchek thinks it's time for us to get mad as hell and not take it anymore.
I think it's none of his business, none of your business, and none of my business.

Maybe I'm wrong but I thought this company had a government contract to do the work. That means it is my business and it should be the business of every American taxpayer. Also, as someone else wrote on this thread, if these losers go back into the facility after drinking and smoking whatever they smoke and are stoned out of their minds and perform shoddy work and one of our American soldiers die as a direct result of it, that's our business as well. The company knew about this problem and chose not to do anything about it until the reporter exposed it....kudos to Rob Wolchek and kudos to any reporter no matter what station he/she works for if they expose this type of behavior.

[coracle]

You're not wrong Buy American; you're spot on; it is the business of all of us. The Rob Wolchek Report was aired again at 7.20am Sunday Morning with a Post Script that 17 of the offenders had been suspended pending dismissal. If the Management did in fact know about the problem and allowed it to continue then there must be suspensions in their ranks before the episode is completely closed out.

[Zacha341]

I hear you. No worries, this is why more and more manufacturing companies will take their business farther away from the city and out of Michigan [[out of bounds of even the SMART buses).

Behind that we'll not have to argue about who's BUSINESS is it, or rather it's our business, and what "Anti-worker" violation it is blah-blah!

Not that there are not problems with suburban workers, I AM NOT SAYING THIS. But we will not be represented there to work or BOLDLY 'goof' off.

WE SIMPLY WILL NOT BE ON THE PREMISES!!!!

So further argumentation will indeed be moot.

Case closed.

The 'not my business' issue and perspective SOLVED.

Anti-worker propaganda? I don't quite see it that way. I think most people will see it as the outrageous actions of a handful of individuals that have no regard for other people, no sense of responsibility, and are so selfish that they can't wait 8 hours to go home and dope it up.

As to your feelings toward Fox, that's exactly how I feel about the Fox News Channel! [[although I don't mind WJBK)

[Patrick]

Here it is for commercial and NON-commercial items. I am not sure what the DoD supplement [[DFAR) says.

The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, Pub. L. No. 200-690, obligates a non-commercial item Government contractor, who has a contract over $100,000, to meet certain requirements designed to keep the work place free of illegal drugs. In particular, a Government contractor must agree to [[1) publish a statement and notify employees in writing that illegal drugs are prohibited in the work place; [[2) publish and notify employees of the action the contractor will take against violators of the drug prohibition policy; [[3) establish a drug-free awareness program for employees; [[4) notify employees that compliance with the drug prohibition is a condition of employment, and that employees must notify the contractor of any violation of Federal or state drug abuse statutes occurring in the work place within 5 days of conviction; [[5) notify the Government contracting agency within 10 days of receipt of an employee conviction notice; [[6) take appropriate personnel action within 30 days of receipt of an employee conviction notice; [[7) require that the convicted employee participate in an approved drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program; and [[8) make a good faith effort to maintain a drug-free work place through the implementation of these requirements. The Drug-Free Workplace Act does not, however, require drug testing of employees.
VII. COMMERCIAL ITEM ACQUISITIONS

The ever-expanding list of unique government contract statutes and regulations have contributed significantly to acquisition costs for the federal government. Indeed, a Congressionally-mandated study found that the Defense Department sometimes paid a premium of 30-50% more, and in some cases 100% more, for its products compared to the same or similar ones sold to commercial companies. Acquisition Law Advisory Panel, "Streamlining Defense Acquisition Laws: Report of the Acquisition Law Advisory Panel to the United States Congress," at 8-13 [[Jan. 1993). As a result, Congress passed the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-355, in part to capture for the federal government some of the benefits and efficiencies of commercial contracting.
FASA established a preference -- applicable to both military and civilian agencies -- for the acquisition of "commercial items." 10 U.S.C. § 2377; 41 U.S.C. § 314b. In particular, it requires that, to the maximum extent practicable, agencies acquire commercial items to meet their particular needs. Id. The FAR contains a detailed definition of "commercial item." The term includes [[a) items, other than real property, that have been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public; or offered for sale, lease or license to the general public; and [[b) services of a type offered and sold in the commercial marketplace based on established catalog or market prices for specific tasks performed under standard commercial terms and conditions.
Congress also sought to streamline the terms and conditions applicable to commercial item contracts in an effort to make federal contracting more attractive to commercial suppliers. Accordingly, FASA mandated that the FAR contain a list of clauses that are consistent with "standard commercial practice," and that such clauses be included in contracts for the acquisition of commercial products and services. To preclude agencies from unnecessarily including various unique government contract clauses in commercial item contracts, the Act provides that "to the maximum extent practicable, only the contract clauses [mandated by law and executive order, or consistent with commercial practice] may be used in a contract . . . for the acquisition of commercial items . . . ." Pub. L. No. 103-355, § 8002[[b)[[3).

As required by the FASA, the FAR now contains standard terms and conditions applicable to commercial item acquisitions. FAR 52.212-4. These clauses were intended to mirror the terms and conditions found in the commercial marketplace. The CO may tailor the FAR's commercial item contract clauses to adapt to market conditions for each acquisition, but may do so only in a manner that is consistent with standard or customary commercial practices [[unless a waiver is obtained). In addition, each commercial item contract is to contain a list of laws and executive orders that apply to the commercial item being acquired.

Commercial item contracting significantly reduces the burden associated with government contracting. TINA, CAS, the FAR cost principles, and many socio-economic requirements are inapplicable to commercial item contracts. As a result, commercial entities that previously avoided government contracting because of the unique costs, risks, and obligations imposed by federal contracts have begun responding to government solicitations. Unfortunately, some agencies have been slow to utilize the new, streamlined commercial item acquisition procedures.