Ford executives said they have hired 350 veteran engineers — some of them were former employees, while others had been working at suppliers — after artificial intelligence and automated systems failed to deliver the desired quality level.
Ford executives said they have hired 350 veteran engineers — some of them were former employees, while others had been working at suppliers — after artificial intelligence and automated systems failed to deliver the desired quality level.
Those engineers should have formed a union and refused until they could collectively negotiate their pay. I can’t think of a more straightforward situation in which a union would be more appropriate.
Many Detroit engineers are in UAW.
I would be surprised if they weren’t part of the UAW. Many states are “At-Will” and don’t have exceptions for union protections.
Michigan is an at-will state however there are still limits on what employers can do.
I love how even China has better worker protections than the “land of the free”…
land of the “free to take it up the ass”
You’re 100% free. Free of worker protections. Duh.
The CBA with the union provides the protections. The bare minimum the state requires for everyone isn’t all that relevant when you have a negotiated contract for much more than that bare minimum, whether it’s for-cause termination protections, mandatory notice and severance pay for layoffs, etc.
That’s what I was trying to say though, in states like mine between the at-will law and the right-to-work law there is basically no way for unions to include that in a contract in an enforceable way. Effectively even if your union contract included for cause termination protections you would have to both prove that you were terminated not for cause (which in my state can include things like “does not fit in with work culture“) and litigate that yourself assuming your employment contract or union contract doesn’t include some sort of binding arbitration agreement with your employer. And that’s putting aside that union membership in my state is incredibly low due to the right-to-work law.
Better yet, form a Contracting Firm, with all members as partners, and the Company can hire the firm, who will provide all services.
Pay the engineers at triple their original rate, and charge the company 6x, and save the excess. As cost overruns, and special services with higher costs, are factored in, the excess can be paid out to the partners as quarterly or end of the year bonuses. Maybe make the Company give each engineer a brand new top of the line vehicle of their choice, as well.
The company DESERVES to be abused, they EARNED it. Stick it to them ruthlessly.