First day back at the auto plant

outdoorphotog

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
817
Reaction score
2,573
Location
Healdsburg, CA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Lincoln Navigator L
Occupation
Limo Driver
I'm not in the camp of this whole thing is hoax, but I'm convinced history will look back on this and show that it wasn't as dangerous as was believed in the moment and the reaction was out of proportion. But hindsight is always clearer than the present. And in the moment of the unknown I do feel it's better to be safe than sorry. The reaction after this will tell the true tale of how we (human race) handle what has happened. I have a feeling politics will take a front seat, as it always does in the US at least, which is unfortunate because politics ruin everything and is the enemy of science, logic, reason, and common sense.

But I've been wrong before, a few times at least, so I'm fine being wrong again if that's how it plays out.
I think a lot of these big companies are motivated to avoid bad PR and avoid being sued by a potential death as a result of an employee getting corona. Making us wear masks, do temp checks, ask the same questions every day shows "they are doing all they can" in a court.

Maybe they care about the worker too, hard to always know when shareholders exist.
Sponsored

 

AzScorpion

Moderator
First Name
Dave
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Threads
280
Messages
21,289
Reaction score
101,269
Location
Arizona
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Ranger Tremor
Occupation
CEO of DeeZee
I think a lot of these big companies are motivated to avoid bad PR and avoid being sued by a potential death as a result of an employee getting corona. Making us wear masks, do temp checks, ask the same questions every day shows "they are doing all they can" in a court.

Maybe they care about the worker too, hard to always know when shareholders exist.
You're 100% correct on this! While I'm sure most businesses care about their employees and don't want anything to happen to them the bigger issue is the lawsuits. and bad press.

Have you noticed lately the media is in full rampage criticizing all the states who have lifted their lockdowns? The last thing these large companies want is the scum media plastering their business all over the airwaves with bad publicity.

I agree with Matt that I don't think this is all a hoax but I also agree it's blown WAY out of proportion and the people who are most susceptible need to be extra careful. This is like anything else in this world use your common sense and take self responsibility. It's not going to guarantee you won't catch it but it sure will help prevent you from it.
 

outdoorphotog

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
817
Reaction score
2,573
Location
Healdsburg, CA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Lincoln Navigator L
Occupation
Limo Driver
You're 100% correct on this! While I'm sure most businesses care about their employees and don't want anything to happen to them the bigger issue is the lawsuits. and bad press.

Have you noticed lately the media is in full rampage criticizing all the states who have lifted their lockdowns? The last thing these large companies want is the scum media plastering their business all over the airwaves with bad publicity.

I agree with Matt that I don't think this is all a hoax but I also agree it's blown WAY out of proportion and the people who are most susceptible need to be extra careful. This is like anything else in this world use your common sense and take self responsibility. It's not going to guarantee you won't catch it but it sure will help prevent you from it.
Yea I can agree with corona not being a hoax, but a lot of "information" has been twisted in ways to tell a story of alternative facts. I tried to say it as politically correct as possible. But like the1mrb said, I hope we can look back on it all and see what went right and what went wrong.
 

Mokume

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Aug 18, 2019
Threads
40
Messages
1,718
Reaction score
2,625
Location
Honolulu, Hawaii
Vehicle(s)
2000 Ranger Supercab (sold 12/19) , 2002 Honda CR-V
Occupation
Retired Firefighter III, Honolulu Fire Department
Makes me reflect back when I was a First Responder and how vulnerable I would have been, as well as those who's jobs involve close interaction with the public.
I feel for all the working class people who must endure the necessary safety measures in place.
Thank God I'm retired...
 

Sandman Ranger

Well-Known Member
First Name
Pete
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
876
Reaction score
1,273
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Crew Cab 4x4 Saber
Occupation
Lead Process Engineer
It is often said, Management does not care, but do workers care about Management?

When I was a Team Leader I had the goal of making sure I knew where everyone was, were they ok and did they get home. In a department 4 stories tall and covering 6 football fields I did a lot of walking and radio talking. Did I do it for money, yep. I also did it because of how I was raised (Army Brat, Officers Son) and played Football for 10 years through College so supporting the Team was the only way. We do not do it for money, we do it because that is the work we want to do. Does not hold true for all Managers but does for me and many others.

If your plant did not do anything different, you and others would have an issue. Sometimes activities help to raise awareness. Remind all to keep distance and be polite. Do the actions help? In our plant of 1,300 people we must do something. The other option is shutdown and closing.

Well used older pictures from our plant history. Our Team, hard at work. Shut down again this week due to inventory. A slow down was coming for months. Coronavirus just pushed it to happen now.

75969C91-81E4-4AC1-98D4-B87BE545A98D.jpeg


E3BB05C1-CA92-4D4A-947B-BF3AC0CD944B.jpeg
 


Deleted member 1634

It is often said, Management does not care, but do workers care about Management?

When I was a Team Leader I had the goal of making sure I knew where everyone was, were they ok and did they get home. In a department 4 stories tall and covering 6 football fields I did a lot of walking and radio talking. Did I do it for money, yep. I also did it because of how I was raised (Army Brat, Officers Son) and played Football for 10 years through College so supporting the Team was the only way. We do not do it for money, we do it because that is the work we want to do. Does not hold true for all Managers but does for me and many others.

If your plant did not do anything different, you and others would have an issue. Sometimes activities help to raise awareness. Remind all to keep distance and be polite. Do the actions help? In our plant of 1,300 people we must do something. The other option is shutdown and closing.

Well used older pictures from our plant history. Our Team, hard at work. Shut down again this week due to inventory. A slow down was coming for months. Coronavirus just pushed it to happen now.

75969C91-81E4-4AC1-98D4-B87BE545A98D.jpeg


E3BB05C1-CA92-4D4A-947B-BF3AC0CD944B.jpeg
There's a difference between lead/supervisor/manager and director/vice president/COO/etc. The former actually works and interacts with the peons, understands their pain, and is still connected to them so they're still humans to them. The latter is too disconnected (in larger corporations/companies) from the real work and people. Workers are just numbers on a sheet, not people. But I don't expect the COO of my company to know every workers name, let alone mine. That's not the nature of the job. Doesn't mean I still can't get mad at them when they make a decision that adversely affects me and my professional, or even personal, well-being, no matter how "good it is for the company".
 

Sandman Ranger

Well-Known Member
First Name
Pete
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
876
Reaction score
1,273
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Crew Cab 4x4 Saber
Occupation
Lead Process Engineer
There's a difference between lead/supervisor/manager and director/vice president/COO/etc. The former actually works and interacts with the peons, understands their pain, and is still connected to them so they're still humans to them. The latter is too disconnected (in larger corporations/companies) from the real work and people. Workers are just numbers on a sheet, not people. But I don't expect the COO of my company to know every workers name, let alone mine. That's not the nature of the job. Doesn't mean I still can't get mad at them when they make a decision that adversely affects me and my professional, or even personal, well-being, no matter how "good it is for the company".
Not getting into a contest here.
Feel free to take a turn. Job openings in large plants come up all the time. Most Plant Managers in my company came up from the ranks. Several built tires day to day. Some started in at Process Engineering positions, so they know the process. Yes we have had a bad one, but most understand the Team. The goal at work is not to do what is best for me, it is to do the best for our customer. If we can do that, then the other goals are easier. Yes, we are all at work to benefit, but if you think each person must have their life’s ambitions met everyday, that is not life. We are off this week with 80% pay and many would want this to be the norm. But I know that leads to no plant. So next week we will be back to work and some individuals will be mad because that was not their personal plan.

A plant ran by 1,300 Plant Managers will get no where.
But 1 Plant Manager can balance the needs as best one can.
No one is perfect but the effort can be made.

FYI. In our rural existence we are one of the top three plants in the World for Bridgestone. We compete for the top spot with two Japanese based plants. They do not like it when we beat them. But our main competition is China. The goal is to keep jobs here. As long as your personal plans align with that then you will be happy. If we do not win, you or I could be sitting at home more often. That is not an option for me.
 

NJB_Aragorn

Active Member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Apr 15, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
32
Reaction score
20
Location
NC
Vehicle(s)
2019 XLT CC Ranger
Everyday I feel more blessed to be able to work from home and just received word I probably would continue to do so until October, though I may be in a pilot to go back earlier.
I just want to say thank you to all those that are keeping things moving, for manufacturing, for shipping and receiving, for packaging and putting them and their loved ones at risk. We have to put our toddler back in daycare or lose her spot, but now they say there is some other thing kids can have if they are covid carriers. Shit is in a bad place right now.
 

outdoorphotog

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ian
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
817
Reaction score
2,573
Location
Healdsburg, CA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Lincoln Navigator L
Occupation
Limo Driver
It is often said, Management does not care, but do workers care about Management?
I have always believed when management treats the workers with respect and like actual human beings, the workers then treat management with respect back. At least when I was a worker for the last 15 years, that's how it seemed to work. Now I am management and I always go out of my way to show the most respect to my blue collar brothers since I have been there and had many in management treat me like the scum of the earth. You give respect, you get respect.???
 

Deleted member 1634

We do have a handful of N95 masks onsite for the types of jobs which require that type of mask anyways, not for Covid reasons though. The people wearing those masks would be wearing them anyways just for their regular work task. For the rest of we just get the basic surgery masks (or we can use our own if we have it). They're quite low quality because they give everyone a new one everyday, so they break often and don't smell or feel the greatest.

1589908619515.png
I can't imagine wearing one of those all day.

Curious as to where the masks are made? They look a lot like these... Making masks
They've upgraded a lot of us to cloth masks now. Five each so we can wear a different one everyday and wash the set on the weekend. Even have the company logo on them and everything. Not too bad now, once you get it all situated to your liking. They're much more comfortable on the face and trap the same amount of warm humid breath. So certainly not worse than the paper ones in my mind.

Also, my hair is getting too long. Way overdue for a trim. haha

IMG_20200527_074559907.jpg
Sponsored

 
 



Top