2019-2020 the year 273 will stop manufacturing and move. I know this vote moved the t rates out the door but 2019-2020 will be the year d rates fallow. I would love to see a d rate make $17-$20 an hour and cry no pension fair wages with no union backing.
6 replies (most recent on top)
First of all GE created the T and D rate to create division within us union brothers and sisters. So that we wont have a solid voice if ever we don't agree on what GE would do with its company which it already happened. 301 agreed on the creation of the T rate because they have to. They cant fire the D rate because its costly to GE and they need workers. Its easier to fire T rates because its cost effective. GE were tired of the lazy D rate and they need to get work done so they hired lot of T rates. They told T rates not to complain even if other guys were earning $10 more than themselves. T rates accepted that because most of them need money to survive and give food and shelter for their family. Others, who have all their relatives worked with GE in the past, accepted the offer hoping GE would get better and be like their fathers and brothers. For me, I accepted the T rate because its GE. Just by the name of it makes you proud to be working with the company. Plus its the only biggest company here in Schenectady. I need work, I need money and I need job security. Which up until now I don't have, even working for GE in years. When we started working management told us to work hard so that you can inspire others to work hard also. A lot of T rates have a hard time doing that because a lot of the D rates were just sitting down and doing nothing. And they earn more than us. D rates don't even train us well on the job at hand and they have the guts to call us incompetent. The effectiveness of the worker is based on how well they were trained. A lot of T rates have to learn their work by themselves, taking notes and pictures. Asking some other workers on other shift what's the most effective way to do the job. They don't train us well so that we wont be qualified to do OT which they want it for themselves. With that culture, T rates also adapted the same. That was how they were trained. We were trained also to have 2 hours of break time instead of ten and fifteen minutes. In fairness, not all of the D rates are lazy. I know a lot of them who were hard working and you wont see them sitting down even in break time. A lot of them were smart and fun to work with. With these, I am very thankful for all those who I worked with. T rate and D rate. Those were the fun years. Its sad that its all gone for us but we have to move on and be proud with the experience in working with GE. Good luck on the people who were laid off and good luck also for the people who were left behind. GE is on a downward spiral since 2016. Because of the CEOs. They did nothing to improve GE's products. They were focused on the shareholders and not GE itself. They were focused on how much money they can get from GE.
I applaud you for you Military service! I do have a BS degree but unfortunately have been downsized more than once. I'll compare my resume with almost anyone given my education and 30 plus years working the trenches. The T rate is market value for jobs in this area. I'm too old to relocate so I'm guilty of trying to make an honest living??
How this for the real world 3 combat tours and I was a police officer. And I still managed to go to trade schools and get a college degree So befo re you go spouting off at the mouth know who your talking to. I hope your street cred will get you a better job. You making a t rate wage is all on you and no one else. Should have got a real education so good luck.
I am educated and experienced the real world not the GE life you D Rate Slob has lived. The gravy train is over D rates. Now carry the plant with your yes vote and enjoy the real working world. Or loose that big money and pension
Wow it’s not my fault you decided not to get an education I’m a d rate and I wasn’t hired for my job based on seniority. I had to interview bring in diplomas and certificates proving my skills. If you had any skills what so ever you could have a job like this too and you probably wouldn’t be crying right now. Blame yourself it’s not any d rates fault for you being late to the game. You chose to not better yourself. You sound like a millennial for sure. Do yourself a favor learn a trade go to school and stop crying and blaming everyone else for your problems. Quit focusing so much on what other people have and better yourself.
We have no union backing now. Really glad someone has the real inside info. You may want to go let Stan know when the plant closes lol. As far as d rates being unskilled when we were hired the pay scale was very high. So they could pick and choose. Our class was told we were 17 out of 5000 people who applied. Now with the t rate scale your just sc-aping the bottom of the barrel at least on the manufacturing side not facilities. The point is this plant has been told it’s closing on multiple occasions. Entire bays turned off with tarps over everything. I was told over and over I was getting laid off. After almost 20 years I’m still here. So you can say what you want but the truth is no one knows. So just keep coming I work till they tell u not to. I have a feeling everything will work itself out.