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Labor:
Ford Workers Sit Down, Slow Down over Late Paycheck
By
Jane Slaughter
Workers who make underbodies for the Mustang pulled off a ministrike
and work-to-rule last Friday.
At Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan, plant, workers in the body and paint
areas had been canvassed to work the Sunday after Thanksgiving, for
double-time. But someone in management messed up. Workers learned
they weren’t going to get paid on Friday, their regular payday.
So after their morning break, a couple dozen underbody workers
went to their stations but sat down and refused to work, for about 20
minutes. Union reps advised them to work, but to follow all rules and
abstain from their usual shortcuts—resulting in a noticeable slowdown in
production.
In the afternoon a union rep texted workers that they could pick up a
special check that same day. Victory! No one received any punishment.
But when they got to the office, workers were told they’d have to wait till
the next Tuesday or Wednesday.
These are the sorts of wildcat actions that were frequent in the United
Auto Workers’ early days in the 1930s and during World War II. The
companies didn’t like it, and the legalized system of “obey now, grieve
later, wait months for a solution” was established.
If the checks aren’t delivered tomorrow, maybe the Flat Rock
workers should try “self-help” again.
Economy:
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