Thread regarding Ford layoffs

Have you ever heard about the mechanical engineer Aron Ralston hating his arm so much that he cut it off? Neither have I, because it was not hatred of his arm that prompted him to cut it off; he cut it off in order to keep himself alive.

I'm not fond of Bill's politics. I don't believe he makes flawless decisions. But having worked for a number of companies, Bill conveys a sense of belonging that simply doesn't exist in many companies. So even if I get cut off like Aron Ralston's hand, I'll go down believing I was a valued adopted member of the Ford family. My heart goes out to those who will get cut through misfortune rather than the consequence of being a slacker.

Add to that the subordinate harassment by LLx that HR and higher up LLx know about and ignore. Recently LL3 squashed complaints about his favorite LL6 whom he has on his next up for LL5 list. The LL6 (married male) in a team meeting presented photo-shopped pictures of a GSR (married female) top-less in a bikini on a beach, pole dancing, bull riding and other poses. Some attendees took pics of the presentation and reported him. The party line is “chill- it was just a joke”. Same as when this same LL6 dry humped cubicle walls of subordinate females. Welcome to the family!

Hardworking Ford employees are the ones who feed the ford family…not the other way around. The family is a drain on the company through their dividend payments and control of the board through their preferred shares. Not one of them is qualified to run a KFC, much less make decisions about one of the biggest manufacturers in the world. Ford would be in a much better place without the Fords.

It's common knowledge that old Henry had a mistress and at least one son by her.

I'll pass. It won't make me feel any better.

If Bill was a such a good guy, then he would get rid of the family's preferred shares. He'd stress transparency with management. (This NDA stuff at the LL4+ level is ludicrous!) He'd come out say that job cuts were going to be held to a minimum since we are all "family". He'd convince his family to sell the Lions to an owner that wanted to win. He'd get all politics out of the company. (It is ridiculous that they have a Very G-y Raptor!)

So I am not buying this "Bill is a good guy". He wants that label without actually earning it. What has he done besides visiting Rouge after a deadly explosion (that was largely for optics!) that makes him a good guy?

I agree -- poor taste. When the explosion happened at the Rouge, Bill was advised not to go by many. He did and think he is a decent man. Family circumstances has put him in a position he clearly doesn't want.

This thread is in poor taste. I left Ford many years and came back. It turned out I had Ford blue running through my veins and was attached to it. And I always honestly believed that having the name on the side of the building that was actually a family created some security. That reality was crushed in 2008 with the blood letting that happened. At the end of the day, Ford is a big corporation that is beholden to shareholders. I think Bill is a decent man. I respected that fact he was self-aware enough to know he wasn't the right guy for the job and hired Mulally. His big downfall has been letting his progressive liberal politics allow seep into the company. The over-indexing on EV's will either crush Ford or be the smartest move ever. I guess time will tell. All that being said, people are people. Being born with a golden spoon in your mouth isn't a crime. And Ford and the Ford family have provided the opportunity for amazing number of people to support their families with a secure life. So I'll take a hard pass on the dirt and take the high road.

To the poster who said the Ford family feeds their family…that is such an obvious tell. You must be one of the many who made their career at Ford by latching onto a family member and lackeying your way up the career ladder. It’s not the most honorable way to make a living, but at least you can count Jim Farley as one of your own.

Some business schools clearly state "graduating future leaders" as their one objective. Family members of Ford, Bush, etc aromatically qualify for those schools.

It is poor taste that Ford Management is not telling us if we have a job, so we can get on with our lives.

If his last name isn't Ford, does Bill get into Princeton? Does really come across as Ivy League material.

This thread is in poor taste regardless of whether you are having any issues with Ford leadership.
Please stick to the the topic on hand- layoffs, pension, job opportunities etc

@xum+1i4TzpLu LOL The family that feeds my family? You must be joking. They are glorified welfare recipients who live off the dividend. Their make work positions are insulting to those of us who have to earn our paychecks. That’s what’s in bad taste, my friend.

And