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http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/27/news/companies/ford_parkinglot/index.htmNEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Employees at Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich., will have to drive Ford Motor Co. vehicles to work or park across the street, the plant manager announced earlier this week.
The new parking policy, which is scheduled to take effect Feb. 1, was instituted by plant manager Rob Webber just as Ford reported losses of $1.6 billion from its North American auto operations in 2005 and Monday announced plans to close 14 plants and cut 30,000 jobs as it tries to reverse losses and respond to declining U.S. market share.
The Dearborn Truck Plant, which represents one portion of the Rouge facility, has 2,600 union employees and makes the F-150 pickup truck, the best selling vehicle in the United States.
A Ford spokesman told CNNMoney the company supported the move, although it had not been extended to the other North American manufacturing facilities.
Officials with UAW Local 600, who backed the announcement, are scheduled to conduct talks with management next week to finalize the details and discuss expanding the ban across the entire Rouge facility, union president Jerry Sullivan told CNNMoney.
"There has to be something put in place to grab people's attention and to make a statement that this is a serious thing," said Sullivan, whose union represents approximately 8,000 workers at the larger Rouge complex. "It's up to us to stand up and do what is right and to drive a vehicle from the company you work for."
The Dearborn Truck Plant parking policy will allow vehicles made by non-U.S. Ford brands such as Mazda, Volvo and Land Rover, Sullivan said.
The Detroit News, which first reported the story Friday, said the new parking policy in Dearborn was embraced by factory employees at a meeting to discuss the auto manufacturer's latest restructuring plan.
But one plant employee, who did not want to be quoted, told the paper he wasn't happy he would no longer be able to drive his Chrysler to the factory.
"They can't tell you how to spend your money," said one veteran tradesman. "It's still a free country." He said he got a better deal on his Chrysler than he could on a Ford.
"I got to go where I can get the most bang for my buck," he said.
Another Dearborn Truck employee told the newspaper he approved the move, though.
"You buy what you build," said Rufus McWilliams. "That only makes sense."
The Detroit Truck Plant opened in 2004 as part of the $2 billion renovation of the company's 1,100-acre Rouge facility, the paper reported.-- ROFL.
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I think this is a poor way to handle lagging sales. If you cannot persuade your employees to buy your product even with significant discounts, I think the problem is with you and your product, not the employees.
Besides, denying parking in a place based on the vehicle driven is workplace discrimination to me.
Brad "Diva": 2004 Mazda 6s 5-door, Volcanic Red
Rex: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Vert, Harbor Blue.
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What the article fails to mention is that a great many automotive facilities have similar rules in place, both Domestic and Import factories in the US. This isn't a new thing.
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I think this is a poor way to handle lagging sales. If you cannot persuade your employees to buy your product even with significant discounts, I think the problem is with you and your product, not the employees.
Except Ford's sales really aren't lagging. Truck sales are down but their car sales are up 18% over last January and up 25% over December (even more impressive considering that January sales are historically 20-25% lower than December industry-wide).
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Besides, denying parking in a place based on the vehicle driven is workplace discrimination to me.
These employees aren't kept from parking at work, they're just kept out of the best spots next to the factory.
Is it workplace discrimination when "Employee of the Month" gets the best parking spot? How about in my company when the best parking spots are auctioned off for charity? Surely that's discrimination because not everyone can afford to bid high enough to even hope to win. Maybe it's discrimination if you stagger your shifts, ensuring that those that arrive for the earlier shifts get the best spots. Is it discrimination when I get the best seat in the airplane only because I buy tickets from a particular airline more frequently than you?
If the employees want to park there, they can. Nothing beyond their ability to change is preventing them from parking there. They just choose, by virtue of their purchasing decision, to not be eligible for the best parking. Just like when I choose to fly on NorthWest I'm not going to get a free First Class upgrade, unlike when I fly American.
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I have no life
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It makes sense to me. A company can chose who gets to park where however they want. If you don't like it, quit and go somewhere else. Though of course if I was one of the workers not being able to park close, I'd not like it, but I wouldn't complain.
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i would be seriously pissed off if hyundai (i work for hmfc specifically, national headquarters, which shares a building with hma western division headquarters) made me park elsewhere simply because i drive a ford.
00 black/tan svt, #2052 of 2150, born 2/1/00
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"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Hyundai wouldn't do that. It's hyundai.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
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Ford is stupid...they have a building here in IL at UTI and I heard they won't let ANYONE park in their lot. 
Hector
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Originally posted by sigma:
Is it workplace discrimination when "Employee of the Month" gets the best parking spot?
No, because the benefit is based on superior job performance. Only unions hate rewarding people for doing a great job.
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How about in my company when the best parking spots are auctioned off for charity? Surely that's discrimination because not everyone can afford to bid high enough to even hope to win.
I don't like these types of corporate solicitations, and I think they are wrong, but they normally do not represent a large number of spaces.
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Maybe it's discrimination if you stagger your shifts, ensuring that those that arrive for the earlier shifts get the best spots.
That is simply natural, and not anything purposely created by the employer. Now if those earlier (or more desirable) shifts were made only available to people driving Fords, that's a discrimination issue.
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Is it discrimination when I get the best seat in the airplane only because I buy tickets from a particular airline more frequently than you?
While I dislike such programs, and would choose a different airline if possible (preferably one with single class seating... makes two across leather seating and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies sound all the better), that is not a workplace issue.
These spots are an employee benefit, and restricting them based on something completely unrelated to natural job conditions or job performance is wrong.
Brad "Diva": 2004 Mazda 6s 5-door, Volcanic Red
Rex: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Vert, Harbor Blue.
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I just don't see how it's discrimination as everyone has the ability to own a ford (if you can afford any vehicle, you can afford a ford, it's your choice not to buy one).
You're REWARDED for owning a ford, not discriminated against for not owning one.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
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the fact is, it's private property. those employees are lucky to have FREE parking to begin with. where they park is totally up to the company. if i owned a Ford plant i would not want Dodge and Toyota trucks parked out front either.
i DO agree with the "need to make a better product" sentiment, although not sure it totally applies to the F150 since it's just about the best Ford product being made right now.
You think Toyota lets people park Nissans out front?
For Sale:
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