Date: Sat, 9 Mar 1996 00:42:18 -0700 From: Rudy Troike Subject: Interesting plays on "Ford" While you may or may not wish to attend to the call for support herein, I could not resist forwarding this, as otherwise you might miss out on the interesting linguistic plays (multilingual even) on the auto name . Will there be a Ford in your future? --Rudy Troike (rtroike[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ccit.arizona.edu) >---------- Forwarded message ---------- > >> Mexican Ford workers solicit your support in their battle against >> low wages. >> >> 1996 is a negotiations year between Ford Motor Co. and its workers >> in three plants; Chihuahua, Hermosillo and Cuautitlan. >> >> THIS IS AN ACTION CALL TO SUPPORT THEIR FIGHT AGAINST LOW WAGES >> >> Presently, wage negotiations are taking place in Mexico for the >> Chihuahua and Hermosillo plants. Cuautitlan plant negotiations are >> scheduled for the month of March. >> >> The negotiations in Chihuahua scheduled to be resolved by the end >> of January, concluded on Tuesday, February 27, after two >> extensions. while negotiations are taking place concurrently with >> the Hermosillo plant workers representatives. >> >> The negotiations for Chihuahua got idled when FORD offered a total >> of 15% wage increase against the workers demand of 30%. >> >> In the last five years, thousands of Brazilian auto workers were >> forced to strike twice in order to obtain higher wage increases >> than what FORD offered. The FORD workers in England recently came >> out of a bitter strike where the main issue was a wage increase >> compatible to England's current cost of living. >> >> Labor leaders in Chihuahua say they were ready to strike if the >> gap did not narrow. The final compromise was of a 25% wage >> increase. Mexico suffers presently from a 50% average inflation >> rate. The price of the basic goods basket is predicted to rise by >> over 74%. The basic goods basket includes consumer goods and >> services that are all but indispensable to most of the population. >> >> >> The UAW in the United States and the CAW in Canada, are scheduled >> to hold wage and contract negotiations with Ford and the other two >> auto makers this year as well. >> >> Although Ford has increased its investment in Mexican facilities >> in recent years resulting in sizable profits due to cheaper cost >> of labor and production, it consistently follows the Mexican >> government austerity program by keeping wages way bellow current >> cost of living. >> >> "FORD" is a four letter word: The feelings of Ford workers in >> several countries have been clearly expressed against their >> employer by rewriting the company's logo illustrating Ford's place >> in their communities. >> >> Workers in Brazil rewrote the Ford logo to "FOME" which means >> "hunger" in portuguese, when in 1991 fought against an 11% >> increase proposal at a time when the country suffered an inflation >> rate of 1000% plus. English Ford workers have spelled out their >> anger by writing "F---" within the famous blue and silver oval. In >> the United States, Ford auto workers have qualified their >> company's standing in their communities by replacing "FRAUD" for >> the company's name. Santos Martinez, from the Cleto Nigmo Urbina >> committee spearheading the democratization movement in >> Cuautitlan/Ford, says that although they may think of stronger >> words, they may not fit in the small oval space, so they have to >> settle for FEOS or FUCHI, which means ugly and disgusting in >> spanish to depict the company and the labor relations atmosphere >> Ford has created in their plant. >> >> As it has been expressed during the anti-NAFTA activism, the >> interests of the workers in the U.S. and Canada in term of better >> wages and job security, are directly related to those of the >> Mexican workers. >> >> We ask you to Contact as many of the people listed below and >> insist that FORD respect the human dignity of its workers by >> affording them just and fair wages. >> >> C. T. M. >> C. Fidel Velazquez, Presidente Vallarta No. 8 Mexico DF. C.P. >> 06030 Ph-011-525-703-3112 >> >> Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Ford Motor Co. Seccion >> Cuautitlan M. Juarez Eudonio, Sec. Gral KM. 36.5 Autopista >> Queretaro- Cuautitlan, Edo de Mexico Vallarta 8 2ndo piso Mexico, >> 4 DF. Ph- 011-525-326-7212, 7375, 7550, 7573 fx-011-525-326-7476 >> >> Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Ford Motor Co. Juan J. >> Sosa, Sec. Gral. Ncl. Kilometro 36 1/2 Carretera Mexico-Queretaro >> Col. Lomas del Salitre Cuautitlan, Ixcala Edo. de Mexico >> CP. 54750 >> ph-011-525-326-7630, 7232 fx-011-525-326-7476 >> >> Alex Trotman, CEO. Ford World Headquarters The American Road PO >> Box. 1899 Dearborn, MI.48121-1899 Ph-313-322-3000 fx-313-396-2927 >> >> Ford Motors de Mexico Phillippe Mellier, Pres. Reforma 333 Sexto >> Piso Col Cuauhtemoc Mexico, DF. 06500 Ph-011-525-326-6230 >> fx-011-525-533-3693 >> >> President Bill Clinton White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. >> Washington, DC. 20500 Ph-202 456-1111 Fx-202 456-2461 >> >> Lic. Ernesto Zedillo Presidente de la Republica Palacio Nacional >> 06067 Mexico, DF. ph-011-525-515-3717 fx-011-525-515-8005, 5729 >> Fax confirmation numbers: 011-525-515-9829, 8256 >> >> NAFTA Officers: Robert Reich U.S. Sec. of Labor 200 Constitution >> Ave. N.W. Washington, DC. 20210 Ph-202-219-5000 fx-202-219-7312 >> >> Lic. Javier Bonilla Garcia Sec. Fed. de Trabajo Anillo Periferico >> Sur 4271 Piso 4 Fuentes del Pedregal Delegacion Tlalpan Mexico. >> 14140 Ph-011-525-645-9638 fx-011-525-645-5594 >> >> For more information contact >> TIE-US. >> Julio Cesar Guerrero, MSW 7435 Michigan Ave Detroit, MI. 48210 Ph >> 313-842-6262 px313-842-0227 >> >> NOTE: >> >> You may use this letter or write your own. Please send copies to: >> TIE.US >> 7435 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI. 48210 Fx-313-842-0227 >> >> I support Ford Workers fair wages: >> >> Wage negotiations between Ford Motor Co. and its workers are >> taking place in Mexico and will take place in the US and Canada >> this year also. >> >> Despite the huge profits that Ford has accrued by increasing >> operations in Mexico, the company disregards the economic and most >> basic needs of workers by keeping their wages low. >> >> Ford workers in Chihuahua, Hermosillo and Cuautitlan plants more >> than need, deserve your support to gain the respect from their >> employer in the form of fair wages, hence dignity and decent >> living for their families. >> >> Recent strikes in Brazil and England over wages are a >> manifestation of the company's insensitivity to the problem of the >> real wages' actual buying power. >> >> I urge you to use the authority in your capacity to promote fair >> wages for Ford workers. It's the just thing to do!!! >> > > > >------------------------------ End of forwarded message 1