Filed under: Trends
Ford factories enforcing No-Parking Zone for non-Ford vehicles
Ford and
the UAW have finally come together and agreed on something–they don’t want non-Ford vehicles bogarting all
the good parking spots in the factory lots. Effective February 1st, the company’s Dearborn truck plant began
re-enforcing an old and often ignored rule that only employees driving Ford vehicles could park in the most convenient
spots on the lot.Employees that violate the rule will get a nasty sticker on their windshield for a first offense and their ride will be towed if it happens again. These No Ford/No Parking zones are meant to foster support within the ranks for buying Ford products, though we doubt that dangling the carrot of a shorter walk to the front door will lead to more blue ovals being driven to work. Instead, we imagine a few workers are royally pissed that their freedom to comparison shop is being targeted.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
scooter 12:36PM (2/17/2006)
Towed?! How is that legal?
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Steve B. 12:40PM (2/17/2006)
Don't their workers get a discount to purchase Ford vehicles? That's an excellent research opportunity; find out exactly why they would give up a discount to purchase a competing vehicle. Merely harrassing their workers is a pretty sorry way to handle the situation, though its a pretty good sign that Ford is toast anyway.
Anyone have any info on Toyota, Nissan, and Honda policies in their US or Japanese domestic factories?
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Rastus 12:42PM (2/17/2006)
desperation- a state of hopelessness leading to rashness (from Merriamwebster.com).
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jmfangio 12:42PM (2/17/2006)
Does this also apply to cars under the ford umbrella? e.g. Volvo, Range Rover?
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Billy Ray 12:45PM (2/17/2006)
I work for Ford and refuse to buy/drive one.
Let them try and tow my Honda and they'll be
blasted with an auto-theft charge.
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Robert Brodrecht 12:50PM (2/17/2006)
I thought DCX tried this awhile ago and it failed miserably. Of course, this seems to have union support where the DCX thing didn't. When DCX did it, I thought they were daft. Now that Ford is doing it, it seems like a good way to bolster support... that is, reward those that buy Ford. But, as another pointed out, it makes non-Ford owners feel jaded. But there is nothing wrong with a good walk.
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TexasSteven 12:56PM (2/17/2006)
If everybody who works there acted like it was thier name on the building, maybe they'd have some pride in what they produce. If folks who work there won't buy what you make, why should anyone else? And if nobody buys them, who won't have a job?
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Paul 12:57PM (2/17/2006)
but do they have a tow truck available for the fords that dont start
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Aki 12:57PM (2/17/2006)
That's downright pathetic. The fact that they even think to implement this policy implies that a lot of Ford employees are buying non-Ford products... which begs the question, *why* would they not buy Ford products?
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Cleaner 12:58PM (2/17/2006)
Let us know how that goes Billy Ray.
It's private property, they can do what they want.
I agree it seems a little desperate, but hey these are desperate times for the domestic manufacturer's.
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MikeC 12:58PM (2/17/2006)
It's amazing that Ford and the UAW would stoop to such low levels as this. Just one more reason to purchase a different nameplate.
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TexasSteven 1:00PM (2/17/2006)
Response to Number 1: It's called private property. The owners of the property (Ford) can tow pretty much anybody they want, anytime they want, just as if you could if you owned the parking lot.
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Justin 1:03PM (2/17/2006)
Idiots. Why would anyont want to work for such a closed minded backward company? Further proof that Ford and the UAW are run by morons. This is bratant discrimination and it should be illegal. Toyota and Honda factories in the US and Canada don't seem to care what their employees drive.
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ssgtakeo 1:04PM (2/17/2006)
I agree that when it's their property they can do as they wish, but it's also not smart to give their own people a hard time about stuff like this. The smart thing to do would be to find out why the employees that drive other makes pick those makes in the face of employee discounts.
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Oh hell no! 1:09PM (2/17/2006)
I will never buy a ford as long as they discriminate against their own employees like this.
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HAHA 1:16PM (2/17/2006)
If i worked for ford I would just buy some 1980s ex destruction derby ford LTD jalopy with 3 mismatching doors, 1 hub cap, a flat tire, busted windows, rusty fenders and and more smoke coming out the back than a diesel tractor. Also make sure all the belts squeel and it leaks more oil the the Exxon Valdez. Then I'll keep my nice honda at home for the weekend. They can't say shit. Its a ford after all.
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RickDom12 1:17PM (2/17/2006)
Chrysler does pretty much the same thing at Auburn Hills, but IIRC you get more chances and no sticker stuck on your car. If they want to pick who can park where, that's up to them. But I think putting a sticker on the windhshield is taking it a bit far. I can see a raft lawsuits when people scratch windshields trying to get them off.
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bgdc 1:17PM (2/17/2006)
Lame. But typical of myopic american companies.
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Paul 1:19PM (2/17/2006)
another stupid decision by stupid american managers.
its no wonder they cant make a good product
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JS 1:19PM (2/17/2006)
I agree with #7 & #2. Very interesting actually, there should be an informal survey of the workers that had to park in the back lot. As they come in, simply ask...why dont you drive a ford and see what they say. May be a good way to redesign some products or work on quality control, etc... that can benefit the entire consumer base and not just the employee's
and #10....the only idiot I see is you. Why are you trying to stir up some crap about "discrimination" as this case clearly has nothing to do with race, gender, age, religion or even sexual orientation. Stop with your rants of "discrimination" or "illegal" practices as you clearly have either A) never worked a day in your life, or B) havent ever looked at a contract that you signed. Its simple, every company has policies that they enforce, like smoking...or interoffice relationships, etc... and this is just another policy and if the workers dont like it then they are free to go elsewhere to another company that has a more agreeable policy, OR they can try and change the policy through a review process by gathering complaints/signatures to overturn it. Oh and #5...good luck with that theft charge and I hope you dont spend to much on a lawyer as your not going to win so its a waste of money.
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