Hourly rate return to normal delayed again until July 2021?
So that looks good on a report and you can brat to your boss you saved some pennies to Ford on the back of disposable agencies? FIRE her/him.
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I have always encouraged the contract and purchase service people to learns as much as they can then move on. Like all companies Ford want to maximizes there profits on the backs of these individuals. I would like protection for these worker to where a company with a track record of not hiring these individual is fined until it hurts the bottom line. I am not a socialist or one who supports big government but in my opinion, the contract and purchase service houses are nothing more then modernized version of share cropping on steroids'.
I was an agency employee at Ford until December 4, 2020.
On that day, I received a phone call, at 7:30 pm, advising me that my contract had been cut by Ford.
No forewarning, whatsoever.
Two days prior, I had been told by my chief engineer that my pay would be returning to normal in January of 2021.
And, I was given additional responsibilities that would have kept me busy for at least another couple of years.
So, I guess my management had no clue that they would be losing agency employees, until the very last second.
Point is, if I was agency there now, seeing that this happened to a good number of their colleagues in December, I would be looking to get out of there, ASAP.
Wouldn't surprise me if they did another purge of agency employees, even as they are telling them that their pay will return to normal in July.
I was just about ready to retire, anyway, so I'm fine.
However, this stuff is just devastating for younger folks who might have families to support, and need the job.
Ford forced agencies to take a 10% cut and asked most agency employees to work 32 hours per week. Not the agencies.
The reality of the situation is agency folks work for the agency not Ford they receive their compensation and benefits from their employer not Ford. As everyone knows, Ford pays the agency not the person, the agency determines their compensation. Before I retired I had several agency folks working for me. I was not allowed to discuss their compensation and benefits with them so they need to discuss this with their employer...maybe the agency could reduce their cut and pass it along to their employees?. To be honest if an agency employee is not happy then leave get another assignment.
The thing is the most important is make sure you are in a area that has higher demand for your background. Stay away from Wire Harness design, Quality, Warranty areas. (non tech) If your job gets cut, you will be unemployed for a very long time. If you're just starting out after college look for jobs at the suppliers with very technical jobs. The OEMs are good places to be if you plan on retiring in a few years.
If you're at a small company and direct at least you're a big fish in a small pond. If you are agency than you're really still working for a small company - your contract house and get treated like dirt. Also, even if you're direct at a company like Ford you still can get stuck in a bad department and you're essentially in a small company. However, you're just a number in the corporate HR. I am looking for a job in a small company, since I see no advantage to staying as a number in a large corporation. I know a lot of engineers who worked at small companies (direct) their whole careers and are far better off, since they have direct contact with the owners, and are valued employees.
As a direct employee I can say at least from what I have seen, nobody like to see people loose their job. I encourage the agency people I know mainly the young folks to look outside for a direct position. In years past I watched people hoping and praying this would be hired in direct. To me I hate to see someone strung along.
FYI. But I know plenty of people who tell their kids in college once they graduate to stay away from automotive. In fact they are encouraged to leave the state. I do not know how the Asian or European Automakers treat agency? But I agree with one of the comments posted earlier about a small company to start out with. As for frozen pay I cannot use the language on this website for what I think! I wander what those Executive bonuses will be in April? The current management reminded me of the governor and his staff from the movie BLAZZING SADDLES..
That is what I did!
Exactly, there is also a misconception that you're better off in a large company. This may have been true 20-30 years ago, but not any more. Agency employees are better off working at a very small company as direct, where you actually talk to the owner(s). As an agency employee .. you're nothing.
If you are an agency employee, do yourself a favour and find a direct job somewhere else. The company has a long history of treating agency as second class citizens - it's not going to change now. Use your time at Ford to gain skills and experience, and move on to a place that values you.