American Axle to close Detroit plant, send jobs to Mexico

[CountrySquire]

Because the bosses made them angry! See...this pisses me off, seeing as how I am unemployed, with NO medical coverage what soever, I would gladly go work at American Axle...I hate that shit, people who can't take responsibility for their own actions, blame it on others, and then excuser's come to THEIR aide...ridiculous...

Exactly! As in this country we are allowed to exercise our rights and do not check them at the time clock. Maybe Mussolini's government is more your style.

[Johnlodge]

Give management the ability to throw people out on their asses when they show zero appreciation for their job, and I bet you find the absentee rate drops real fast.

[Flanders]

Give management the ability to throw people out on their asses when they show zero appreciation for their job, and I bet you find the absentee rate drops real fast.

Management has always had the right to fire employees for poor attendance, if properly documented and the employee is warned or disciplined. This is an indictment of incompetence by AA management, IF in fact their claims of poor attendance is true.

[Johnlodge]

Management has always had the right to fire employees for poor attendance, if properly documented and the employee is warned or disciplined. This is an indictment of incompetence by AA management, IF in fact their claims of poor attendance is true.

So you think the problem is that they simply can't find people who show up for work, no matter how many they fire and rehire? Or you think they have a policy that allows 1/3 of the workforce to just not show up without repercussion? Or you think the article is just a flat out lie? Is there another option?

[Flanders]

So you think the problem is that they simply can't find people who show up for work, no matter how many they fire and rehire? Or you think they have a policy that allows 1/3 of the workforce to just not show up without repercussion? Or you think the article is just a flat out lie? Is there another option?

I have worked for several companies who have fired employees who were in management and union for poor attendance, and why would I think that they have that kind of policy? If AA claimed that a third of their employees do not show up for work, then obviously something isn't being said, like what they were doing to address the problem.

[detmich]

I have worked for several companies who have fired employees who were in management and union for poor attendance, and why would I think that they have that kind of policy? If AA claimed that a third of their employees do not show up for work, then obviously something isn't being said, like what they were doing to address the problem.

What they are doing to address the problem is called "closing the plant". I would think a Detroiter would understand that concept by now.

[Flanders]

What they are doing to address the problem is called "closing the plant". I would think a Detroiter would understand that concept by now.

A company that claims that it had a third of its employees absent from work on any given day, could not possibly have reached that outrageous figure within a short period of time. It would have to occur gradually over a period of years, as a result of management's lack of quickly reacting to it by issuing warnings and meting out discipline in the form of suspensions.

[Johnlodge]

A company that claims that it had a third of its employees absent from work on any given day, could not possibly have reached that outrageous figure within a short period of time. It would have to occur gradually over a period of years, as a result of management's lack of quickly reacting to it by issuing warnings and meting out discipline in the form of suspensions.

Right, this is Detroit, so management is always to blame, the workers are never at fault, and another plant moves away to somewhere where people are willing to do the work, even if that's only 2 hours away at another Michigan plant.

[CountrySquire]

Right on! If you own a company you are god and can fire at will, send jobs to over seas countries what ever you want, pay what ever you want to. This has obviously done such wonders for the state of our country's economy. Insecure employees make very poor consumers. But Oh wait the Mexican and Asian consumers are supposed to pick up our slack I guess?

[Flanders]

Right, this is Detroit, so management is always to blame, the workers are never at fault, and another plant moves away to somewhere where people are willing to do the work, even if that's only 2 hours away at another Michigan plant.

In this instance it appears that both AA management and some of their employees at that plant share culpability for its fate. And no, management isn't always to blame, even in "Detroit", whatever that is supposed to imply.

[Johnlodge]

In this instance it appears that both AA management and some of their employees at that plant share culpability for its fate. And no, management isn't always to blame, even in "Detroit", whatever that is supposed to imply.

Fair enough, though I've rarely needed management to tell me to come to work on time, and stay there until it's time to go home.

By even in "Detroit", I mean a region very central to the labor movement, and very entrenched in the labor vs. management mindset, not the city of Detroit or it's residents or demographics, as you may be implying.

[Patrick]

I have been hearing nightmare stories about the AA workforce in Detroit for several years. This article only solidifies that. No amount of southern-style incentives will be enough to bring a plant here. Guess they gotta go back to college and retool themselves.

[CountrySquire]

I have been hearing nightmare stories about the AA workforce in Detroit for several years. This article only solidifies that. No amount of southern-style incentives will be enough to bring a plant here. Guess they gotta go back to college and retool themselves.

I recall phrases like that from uninformed people from the Central office of a large Auto Company visiting plants wondering why the skilled trades people where always sitting on there asses when they could be doing something. But, they would never think to question while Fireman sit at the firehouse playing cards when there are no fires.

[Sstashmoo]

Could I get a comma and a period up in here occasionally? Hyper-ventilating here.

[Johnlodge]

I recall phrases like that from uninformed people from the Central office of a large Auto Company visiting plants wondering why the skilled trades people where always sitting on there asses when they could be doing something. But, they would never think to question while Fireman sit at the firehouse playing cards when there are no fires.

At least the firemen SHOWED UP to sit on their asses.

[detmich]

I recall phrases like that from uninformed people from the Central office of a large Auto Company visiting plants wondering why the skilled trades people where always sitting on there asses when they could be doing something. But, they would never think to question while Fireman sit at the firehouse playing cards when there are no fires.

Are you seriously comparing the job of a firefighter to the job of a factory employee? Seriously?
You do the labor movement a terrible disservice when you attempt to speak for them.

[LodgeDodger]

I recall phrases like that from uninformed people from the Central office of a large Auto Company visiting plants wondering why the skilled trades people where always sitting on there asses when they could be doing something. But, they would never think to question while Fireman sit at the firehouse playing cards when there are no fires.

That is a completely inappropriate comment, to compare fire fighters to skilled trades. Fire fighters must be present in the event of a fire. Shame on you, CS.

[d.mcc]

Exactly! As in this country we are allowed to exercise our rights and do not check them at the time clock. Maybe Mussolini's government is more your style.

Your post makes no sense...

[Bearinabox]

I love how the Union excusers find a way to blame management for 1/3 of the fucking workforce not showing up on any given day. Why is it that at the Three-Rivers plant they don't have this problem?

I don't know if that's a serious question or not, but that's what I'm wondering myself. Finley seems to be arguing that there is absolutely nobody in this town who is willing to show up for work, which I find hard to believe. With all the unemployed people around here, and people moving out of state to find jobs, it seems like AAM could fire the guys who don't show up, advertise that they're hiring, and have folks lined up out the door and around the corner the next day. I don't pretend to know what's going on here, and I'm not trying to pass judgment on anybody in particular, but something doesn't smell right.

[dcmorrison12]

Here's a thought Huggybear, when the people at the top aren't rewarding themselves with obscene salaries and bonuses at the expense of the people working on the line, they may find those workers more willing to accept more modest wages and benefits and be more productive. People complain about the demands of the UAW and the work habits of union workers. But when the average person sees how the people at the top act, I can see why people feel like they should demand as much as possible for as little work as possible.

Agreed, the CEOs should not be getting massive bonuses, expecially when the company is going to hell - but who ever entitled a blue collar line worker to a high wage? Line workers make good money and sure, maybe some of them earn it, sinc enot all of the line jobs are as demanding as others. But, I feel as if it's time to come back down to reality and realize that the auto companies can't afford to pay high wages [[18, 20, 30 + dollars an hour) for line workers anymore. The auto companies aren't as lucrative as they were 100 years ago and they never will be. I say Line workers should be paid 10 dollars an hour. Sure, people will say that you can't raise a family on that wage, but who ever said that a line job was supposed to pay enough to raise a family?

[CountrySquire]

That is a completely inappropriate comment, to compare fire fighters to skilled trades. Fire fighters must be present in the event of a fire. Shame on you, CS.

Oh jeez, just as I thought. None of the Dick Dauch apoligists on here have ever spent a day doing manual labor in union shop and are completely unaware of the work that get's done in a factory, but will still claim all union people are lazy and overpaid.

[irish_mafia]

I'm not an apologist for anyone, but I have been a member of UAW, AFLCIO and AFSCME in early jobs [[against my will of course, to accept the job, you had to become part of the union and pay them dues).

Haven't had to do that for a while and my career has done well.

[irish_mafia]

as a matter of fact, most of the hardest working people I know have nothing to do with a union. CS, you need to get out more.

[CountrySquire]

Oh trust me I get out fine Irish Mafia, when I was a teamster I worked harder in a shift then your friends worked in a week.

[Detroitej72]

If 1/3 of the employees are absent on a regular basis, the company should be allowed to fire them immediatly. This wont happen because the unions wont allow it. That is a major problem I have with them. Stop protecting the uesless pieces of crap, weed them from the payroll.

I have seen firsthand this mentallity of "I'm owed this job" quite a few times in my day. This stupidity must stop because it hurts all the decent employees who labor hard, day after day.

I hope the 200 or so employees that will be left at the Detroit plant fall into the "model worker" catigory.

BTW, Exdet, I like most of your plan, too bad it will never happen.