Chrysler Workers Happy Hour At Break Time

[chargerboy69]

I am not sure which surprised me most.  That they are still employed, or they still build cars in Detroit.  How silly of me of course they won't lose their union jobs.    Good thing I am not even considering buying a new vehicle from Chrysler.


DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler says it has suspended some plant workers caught by a Detroit television station drinking alcohol and smoking what appeared to be marijuana during breaks.

Chrysler manufacturing chief Scott Garberding told WJBK-TV in a report that aired Wednesday night that the automaker has identified some of the workers.

WJBK said it received a tip from a worker at Chrysler's Jefferson North plant and followed about a dozen men for 10 days during their lunch breaks. It filmed them going to a convenience store to buy alcohol and taking it to a nearby park to drink and smoke.

Garberding says the workers' "behavior is totally unacceptable." The United Auto Workers said it strongly opposes the use of alcohol or controlled substances on the job.


Fox News of Detroit video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JcXAaORCLQ

[Ghoste]

While I generally agree with about anything bad you could say about unions I do have to add that;
a) Right now in the world unions aren't doing so great at the whole "guaranteed job for life" thing anymore.
and b) If you think unionized auto employees at Chrysler are the only ones who drink and smoke up on the job you are sadly sadly sadly mistaken and naive.

[bakerhillpins]

If the report is true then these guys should be sacked by the Union, Chrysler shouldn't even need to deal with the issue. Good for the "worker" that rated out those worthless a$$ clowns. And you wonder why the cars have so many quality problems and everyone gets so pissed off about bailouts.  

I don't think anyone is surprised. I'm certainly not. Annoyed, pissed that these people get protected by a union, yes.

[Ghoste]

The link doesn't say anything about them being protected by the union though. The report doesn't actually prove that they were on lunch either for that matter.  I know it sounds like I am sticking up for them but really I'm just trying to stick to the facts.
The truth is that I've worked in a union auto assembly plant and I have lots and lots of stories I could share and trust me, when it was over you know what I think of the union and what it has corrupted itself into. 
It's just that in this particular case the news guys did their typical thing and sensationalized into more drive by stunt reporting.
They could have brought a couple of guys from the plant management and union leaders along and then publically challenged those guys to address the issue.  Out of 3000 employees that gang will be the minority but they drag the entire lot down.

[Roger 68 charger]

It just shows --You never know who is watching...

[bakerhillpins]

The link doesn't say anything about them being protected by the union though. The report doesn't actually prove that they were on lunch either for that matter.  I know it sounds like I am sticking up for them but really I'm just trying to stick to the facts.
The truth is that I've worked in a union auto assembly plant and I have lots and lots of stories I could share and trust me, when it was over you know what I think of the union and what it has corrupted itself into. 
It's just that in this particular case the news guys did their typical thing and sensationalized into more drive by stunt reporting.
They could have brought a couple of guys from the plant management and union leaders along and then publically challenged those guys to address the issue.  Out of 3000 employees that gang will be the minority but they drag the entire lot down.

I agree, hence I said if the report was true. I also realize that they didn't say that the union protected them that was more a commentary which is outside the facts. But as you say, the past has led us (me anyhow) to not find this situation unexpected.

The report is from FOX so it's likely not biased towards labor organizations. 

Out of 3000 employees that gang will be the minority but they drag the entire lot down.

[Ghoste]

Trust me, I'm not biased towards them either and I can promise you that if they were able to find out who the "source" was that tipped off Fox, THAT would be the person who suffers the most in this.

[RD]

well, if they were not on lunch, then there is nothing to worry about huh?  but if they were on lunch, then they will lose their jobs.

secondly, there was a "tip" to lead off the investigators (albeit news related or police really doesnt matter). The tip was given to stop this type of behavior.  The "tip" most likely came from a co-worker.  The question you should be asking is this:

"If the co-worker felt he/she had to give a tip to the news agency, then why did they not feel comfortable enough to inform their supervisor about the illegal activity?"

[bull]

The thing that annoys me most about the union I'm part of is that they spend too much time and money trying to protect the members who feel the need to push the limits of uselessness. Often it seems these people can be as lazy and counterproductive as they want but as long as they show up they'll have a job and a payheck. Of course even the union has limits on how bad and how frequently you can screw up but IMO they are way too lenient. I think if unions were more realistic about who they protect things would be a lot better. I'm sure there are thousands of good people in this economy who'd love to take the place of some $25-$40/hour deadbeats.

[Ghoste]

RD, to answer your question see my post above.  In my experience, supervisors were sometimes cronies (there are plenty of substance abusing white collar workers too and it seemed to me that when it comes to that stuff the like minded blues and whites had a gift for finding one another), sometimes they were too frightened to pursue a complaint of this nature (as long as the line keeps rolling then I'm in no trouble so I don't want to know), and sometimes they have smashed their head agaisnt the wall too many times to care.  For a guy on the line whether he is bolting on a part or supervising the operation the emphasis is always that the line keeps moving no matter what!  If someone dies on the line you drag out of the way and keep working but you never ever disrupt the product flow for any reason.
The other thing and it goes back to what I mentioned earlier, the peer pressure in a union shop like that is HUGE!!!!
I am not kidding, if they were able to find out who the tipster was, he is in for the worst work experience of his life.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Didn't these guys get a government bailout ?  Seems like we know what they were spending their money on.   

[472 R/T SE]

Where I worked we were union.  It took about 5 minutes with someone to figure out they came from the Hall.  Any of them that stuck around with us needed a complete rewiring.

All the stereotypes there are for unions was pretty much nonexistent with us as we "grew" our operators.  Most guys started off in the yard working for peanuts, went into the union at 40% pay & with hours worked, worked their way up.  Show up for work late once, that's all you get.  Piss dirty & you're suspended.  The union was far more lenient than we were.

On occasion we'd have the union force a female on us.  When I was working we had a chick wrench.  She was just too small to do anything w/o help at all times.  So back to the hall she went.  Last I heard she was with Curtis.  

As usual, Ghoste pretty much nails it.

[71charger_fan]

Suggest you read Rivethead: Tales from the Assembly Line

[chargerboy69]

and b) If you think unionized auto employees at Chrysler are the only ones who drink and smoke up on the job you are sadly sadly sadly mistaken and naive.

I would guess they are not the only ones.  I am not concerned what a Toyota employee may or may not be doing, they were not the ones caught.  These Chrysler employees were.

[RD]

RD, to answer your question see my post above.  In my experience, supervisors were sometimes cronies (there are plenty of substance abusing white collar workers too and it seemed to me that when it comes to that stuff the like minded blues and whites had a gift for finding one another), sometimes they were too frightened to pursue a complaint of this nature (as long as the line keeps rolling then I'm in no trouble so I don't want to know), and sometimes they have smashed their head agaisnt the wall too many times to care.  For a guy on the line whether he is bolting on a part or supervising the operation the emphasis is always that the line keeps moving no matter what!  If someone dies on the line you drag out of the way and keep working but you never ever disrupt the product flow for any reason.
The other thing and it goes back to what I mentioned earlier, the peer pressure in a union shop like that is HUGE!!!!

i will agree with you to an extent, but...  when it comes to illegal behavior that directly puts the safety and lives of individuals in danger (without even addressing possible quality control standards), then you do not stop at your immediate supervisor... you dont get the answer you like, you keep going higher.  I have been in situations where supervisors were inept at keeping control of situations.. did not stop me from going higher.

I understand price per unit as I worked as a staff accountant in an American Eagle Distribution Center.  $$$ is everything until someone gets hurt or dies.  Peer pressure or no, as long as you stick with what is right and truthful, then ethical dilemma's are easier to tackle.

I am sure the Chrysler leadership would have loved to seen this type of report before it got leaked to the press.  Now look what they have to deal with.

I am not kidding, if they were able to find out who the tipster was, he is in for the worst work experience of his life.

And this is exactly what is wrong with this.  The person who is doing "right" is the asshole, whereas those in the wrong should be coddled.  Why is it that the "whistleblowers" get the shit end of the deal?  They are doing what is right.  They should be rewarded not ostracized.  this tells you a lot about the integrity of those that you work with.  You stick with what is right, you have nothing to worry about.  If you choose to skirt the line of violating policy, doing illegal activities, or even turning your head the other way knowing of such acts.... well then, you do everything you can to get others to be wrong with you so you have a security blanket of impropriety.

[Silver R/T]

There's no telling what Chrysler employees were smoking when they were putting out our Chargers...

[Todd Wilson]

It certainly is not that way in the railroad unions.    You piss dirty on the railroad and you are done.  They'll send you to rehab and you better walk the straight line after that.   That entire auto workers union is out of control. It will ultimately kill the auto company before its overwith.


Todd

[bull]

On occasion we'd have the union force a female on us.  When I was working we had a chick wrench.  She was just too small to do anything w/o help at all times.  So back to the hall she went.  Last I heard she was with Curtis.  

She lasted long enough to get Trimet to pay for her training and then she hit the floor for a month or so before she bailed out. Now she's growing organic beans or something I guess. Some sort of tree-hugger, sustainable, green, mother-earth, modern hippie line of work.

[Ghoste]

I've read Rivethead.  I understand all too well the dehumanizing aspect of working the line in the auto industry.  I hated almost every minute of the twenty years I spent on it but I sucked it up, went in and did the job I agreed to do.  I ddin't need to get all screwed up at work to try and deal with it.

[472 R/T SE]

Some sort of tree-hugger, sustainable, green, mother-earth, modern hippie line of work.

She prolly has that market cornered then up here.  It's not like anyone else is doing it.   

[hemi-hampton]

I am not kidding, if they were able to find out who the tipster was, he is in for the worst work experience of his life.

Thats exactly why they did not go to the Supervisor.  Maybe they did before & got zero help.

[bull]

Some sort of tree-hugger, sustainable, green, mother-earth, modern hippie line of work.

She prolly has that market cornered then up here.  It's not like anyone else is doing it.   

She'll probably invent some sort of carbon neutral, biodegradable Prius seat covers or a hemp maxi pad and get filthy rich after Alanis Morissette endorses it. She'll buy a 200,000 acre holistic, free-range chicken farm in Montana with tractors running on French fry oil making $600k/year for doing nothing but sitting on her brains, and guys like you and me will still be scraping by.

[4cruzin]

Some of those guys probably work better when they are under the influence . . . 

[Ghoste]

I'd bet they don't work much at all.  I suppose that lessens the risk of them screwing anything up but it also means someone else has to do their work which just increases the costs of vehicles.

[1970Moparmann]

Youtube removed the video due to copyright issues

Here is the story with a video link from a Fox website.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/must_read/chrysler-employees-caught-boozing-9-23-2010

[adauto]

My uncle was a millwrght at the ferd plant in Chicago for over 30 years. I'm surpised they werent caught drinkin'/smolin' while on the job! I have a few stories you wouldnt belive!

[RECHRGD]

I retired from electrical contracting a few years ago.  In general the union guys that were regular employees were pretty good.  The problems start when we would do large projects that would involve 50 to 200+ electricians.  The general mindset was to do everything possible to slow the project down and force you into paying overtime.  Some supervisors would encourage that kind of behavior and even write in time for workers that didn't even show up.  On one project during the Xmas and New Years holidays about 2/3 of the workforce took the week off.  The remaining 1/3 of them produced more work than the full crew did,  but try to fire any non-producers and all hell breaks loose.  I could write a book.  A few years back our local Kaiser Aluminum plant simply shut it's doors for good when the union struck them for more benefits.  Over the years they had negotiated that a certain task was worth so much time regardless of how long it took you to do it.  The result was the guys suddenly became very efficient and could do an 8 hour task in 2 hours.  They would spend the rest of the day reading magazines rather than going on to another task unless payed overtime for it.  Bob

[Brock Lee]

I remember reading abut the Chrysler plant guys smoking dope and drinking ON THE LINE back in the 60's. St Louis was supposedly the worst. Some describe it as being like a prison atmosphere. People got stabbed for being rats.

[rav440]

yep only union guys drink and smoke dope and F-off all day . 

[Ghoste]

I think the implications were more that union guys do it with fewer worries about losing their job over it.

[rav440]

I think the implications were more that union guys do it with fewer worries about losing their job over it.

yes that is what most think . not all unions are the same , in the trades  here in pittsburgh , you come to work drunk or or on dope or get caught drinking and / or fail the piss test on the job most likely you going to be making call to the unenjoyment office plus if you fail a piss test atleast in the carpenters you goto rehab for 30 days for the first offence 2nd offence you are out of the union no ifs ands or buts . i know alot of friends of friends whom build houses non union start the day off higher than a kite . im not saying by any means non union guys are on dope but most of the ones i know are and that is why they chose to be non union .

[Ghoste]

The autoworkers unions are much different, they'll fight like mad for the ones who shouldn't even have a job.

[chargergirl]

I have no empathy for someone who has an amazing paycheck and can't keep their stuff wired tight at least while they are at work. I could care less what someone does on their own time.

[69rtse4spd]

Ghoste is so right, we actually had a man drop dead on the trim line a few months ago, from a heart attack. They never stopped the line, just dragged him out of the way. Also the union dose fight like hell for the ones that do not deserve it. Seams like all the union wants is your two hours a month dues & their special cut of any union negotiated special pay.

[Dans 68]

Seems like the offending employees just got fired.    Good....

Dan

[Brock Samson]

It was the same at the newspaper,.. I could tell you similar stories of how the union protected complete and utter slackers. like me.. 

[aussiemuscle]

Shouldn't it really depend on chrysler's policy about alcohol in the workplace determine whether they loose their jobs, not just on the whim of bad publicity from Fox? 
We have a zero BAC policy at my work, but they are driving huge machinery, and working close to cutting saws and stuff. i'd imagine same applies to line work, but they need to do blood alcohol testing, not just fire those they suspect or were caught by a tv reporter...

[runningman]

I haven't been on here for a while but figured I would find at least one post on this.  I actually work at JNAP although I have only been here about six months or so.  I have been working for Chrysler for almost 16 years though, the majority of which as an electrician.  I have to say I was not surprised to see that story aired but of course disappointed.  I don't care what field you work in this stuff is going on everyday (doesn't make it right).  I know people in the healthcare industry that have to smoke weed in the morning before they go to work.  I knew people in the military that would go out occasionally and have some beers at lunch (occasionally taking me along by force  ) .  I worked for an engineering company and would smell pot on some of the designers after lunch.  I knew bosses that did cocaine and who knows what else.  This doesn't make it right but it's not just union people doing stuff like this and although I don't know everyone here, I don't know one that does this kind of stuff during their lunch breaks.  To be honest most people hardly bother going out for lunch, we only get 30 min and by the time you clock out the gate, get to your car and get whatever you are getting it's time to come back anyway.  I was only a year out of active duty USAF when I got hired into Chrysler.  I really didn't know that much about unions even though my dad also retired from Chrysler.  I do have to say that I was shocked by what I saw...people sitting around, sleeping and other things.  I always tell people how amazed I am at how much different things are now.  When I started in 1995 I believe there were around 80-90,000 unionized workers at Chrysler and last I heard we are down to 25,000 or so.

[runningman]

I would say 98% of the people I know that work at Chrysler are normal, hardworking people that want to do the best job they can and take care of their families.  The majority is well aware of what the public thinks of union workers but all we can really do is put in an honest day's work and build the best vehicles we can.  The majority of issues we have are out of our control, lack of maintenance is a big one due to a lack of interest by management.  I hear people talking about union workers all the time talking about stories they heard thirty years ago and I have to laugh but also realize we may never be able to change that mindset....

Off the subject a little.  I work in the paint department, specifically in the phosphate/ecoat/powdercoat departments.  It is pretty amazing at what these cars go through before being painted.  I had never been in an assembly plant before and had no idea that these cars had all the protection they do under the paint.