The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: JC5123 on September 23, 2010, 02:50:38 PM
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Caught this story at lunch. Sadly, things like this don't even surprise me anymore.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/23/chrysler-auto-workers-caught-camera-drinking-beer-smoking-pot-lunch-break/
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Construction workers in the North East, primarily, have been doing this for decades. Either Dateline or 20/20 had a similar story on some NY union fellers,.that went across the street to the bar, had a "couple", and went back to work.
Seems it's written in very fine print in the union by-laws somewhere...must be traditional.
How's that new Chrysler/Jeep workin? Drive them proudly... >:(
Not to single out Chrysler, I'm sure the tightening up is happening at Ford and Chevy. Maybe random daily breathelyzer and pee in a cup policies would help.
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Didn't see anything about the quality of work those particular guys were putting out.
That's life in manufacturing, I've only known 2 welders in 25 years who didn't drink or smoke weed, neither of them was very good.
I've also seen ISO and AS rated companies where the night shift all pitched in for a bag of weed for breaks.
That company's scrap rate was .02 %
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Didn't see anything about the quality of work those particular guys were putting out.
That's life in manufacturing, I've only known 2 welders in 25 years who didn't drink or smoke weed, neither of them was very good.
I've also seen ISO and AS rated companies where the night shift all pitched in for a bag of weed for breaks.
That company's scrap rate was .02 %
Amen. Drugs of any sort and heavy machinery don't mix well. That said? There is a world of difference between having a couple and being a hazard. Peer pressure maintains the balance. A little buzz, no problem. Endanger me or my job because of your screw ups? Your shop steward will be the first to bust you. I worked in the sailboat trade in Fl. in high school and college (Soverell Marine for TW). I've seen it. Two or three is fine. A six pack? The boss is the least of your worries. Not justifying it, just saying that the results should be the final arbiter, not moral outrage. If it effects the product, fire them. If not, mind your own business.
FQ13
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Food for thought, any work related "work comp" claim, will just about require a blood test.op off a finger, crush their foot, etc,.. So all is well as long as they don't chop off a finger, crush their foot, etc,.. Good luck with that long term. In my job, I can't afford to take the chance. The consequences are too high to get high. ::)
Burn up a 178' Benetti Mega Yacht, and see how many lawyers, insurance critters, international to boot, start demanding blood. Figuratively & literally.
Two or three is fine FQ? I guess that mindset is why I do fire refits on otherwise new boats, that the boat manufacturer just was minding their own business, when it came to its employees. The sub-panels were done worse than a high school car stereo install and a fire was only a matter of time.
IT'S CALLED PROFESSIONALISM!!!! These clowns in the vid, simply don't have it.
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TW, This country was built by guys who sent a kid to the store to get them buckets of beer for lunch.
While your comments about blood tests are true, the spirit of your post is the same "Temperance BS that led to that shining success known as prohibition.
Your comment about "professionalism ? You have no evidence to back it up. Professionalism is about doing good work, A persons personal habits have no impact on that. In fact, I would go so far as to say that stoners are better machinists than non stoners.
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Used to know a guy who's favorite story about working on the GM pickup truck assembly line (which he'd done for 17 years, and still does) was that there was almost never a day he couldn't finish a 6 pack before the end of his shift WHILE ON THE LINE!
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Used to know a guy who's favorite story about working on the GM pickup truck assembly line (which he'd done for 17 years, and still does) was that there was almost never a day he couldn't finish a 6 pack before the end of his shift WHILE ON THE LINE!
Less than a beer an hour. It would depend upon his weight as to how much effect the beer would have. And on his job to determine if that would affect the quality. I wouldn't want my brain surgeon doing it, but the guy who bolts the muffler on my truck should be able to handle it.
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I've seen it. Two or three is fine.
FQ13
Maybe in academia, not in the real world and definitely not in a manufacturing environment. Does it happen? All the time. That doesn't make it right.
One of my biggest regrets is not calling security when I walked into the line maintenance shop at an integrated circuit foundry (lots of nasty chemicals and equipment operating in the kV range) and found the second shift clowns setting up to free base some cocaine. At the time I didn't think that they would all get fired and I had to work with (indirectly) the survivors so I let it slide. But I did start looking for other employment right after that.
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Maybe in academia, not in the real world and definitely not in a manufacturing environment. Does it happen? All the time. That doesn't make it right.
One of my biggest regrets is not calling security when I walked into the line maintenance shop at an integrated circuit foundry (lots of nasty chemicals and equipment operating in the kV range) and found the second shift clowns setting up to free base some cocaine. At the time I didn't think that they would all get fired and I had to work with (indirectly) the survivors so I let it slide. But I did start looking for other employment right after that.
I'm not saying its a good idea or that I endorse it. My point is that it is accepted as part of the culture. My limited experience in manufaturing was with very high end racing sailboats. They charged out the azz for these things and paid well. No slackers need apply. The culture of the workers was don't be drunk or high and get us in trouble, do something unsafe, or cause me extra work fixing your screw-up. If on the other hand, you were to just have a couple at lunch, no one cared. It was a self policing system.
FQ13
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Sounds like my job, but then again, the taxpayers don't pay my salary and I don't work in a factory.
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TW, This country was built by guys who sent a kid to the store to get them buckets of beer for lunch.
While your comments about blood tests are true, the spirit of your post is the same "Temperance BS that led to that shining success known as prohibition.
Your comment about "professionalism ? You have no evidence to back it up. Professionalism is about doing good work, A persons personal habits have no impact on that. In fact, I would go so far as to say that stoners are better machinists than non stoners.
Perhaps I hold the taxpayer dollars that bailed out the unions to a higher standard. It's bad policy, that even has the UAW following up with reviews and backtracking. It's a big pie in their face and they know it. I am hardly an endorser of prohibition.
However,
Maybe we would have less automotive recalls, if the union folks assembling them were ALL sober?
Perhaps a doctor should take a bong hit or two before working on a patient, let a pilot down a couple, like FQ posted, it's only a couple.
These folks are helping build a vehicle my family might be in. Automated or not, the human element is the final line in the sand. I would expect more out of overpaid monkey union "professional car builders"...
Especially, since it's OUR dollars buying their booze and dope.
As far as my personal professionalism, I can back that up. As far as a $40,000 brand new car, you and I both know it can look awesome in the parking lot, but it's HOW it went together, and by who that matters. And a bunch of union monkeys getting high in a park, on the taxpayer dime? Hardly a "standard of achievement worth striving for".
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And a bunch of union monkeys getting high in a park, on the taxpayer dime? Hardly a "standard of achievement worth striving for".
I agree 100%. Gotta love those new Chevy commercials that fail to mention the taxpayers and stockholders that are taking it in the ass.
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I am embarrassed to admit - but when I worked at Chrysler back in the early 70s, we would take breaks and lunches up on the roof (we were welding in the body shop and it was hot) and there was always pot and drink available. Every once in a while some wiseguy on the line would find a soda bottle and tie it to a string suspended inside a panel somewhere so it would clunk around when the vehicle was driven. We helped destroy the quality of a great car company.
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What any of us who were caught smoking pot or drinking on job, would have got....
FIRED.
http://www.theblaze.com/the-wire/414251/chrysler-fires-13-workers-caught-boozing-on-tape/
Chrysler fires 13 workers caught boozing on tape
DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler Group LLC says it has fired 13 plant workers a Detroit TV station caught drinking alcohol and smoking what appeared to be marijuana during breaks.
Chrysler manufacturing chief Scott Garberding told WJBK-TV in a Sept. 22 report that the automaker identified some of the workers from Detroit's Jefferson North plant on tape and was pursuing the others.
The automaker said then that it was suspending the workers. On Monday, Chrysler said it fired them.
In a statement, Chrysler said the workers violated its code of conduct.
Chrysler says two other workers got one-month unpaid layoffs.
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They were only drinking beer,... :P
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You people are getting all worked up about something that has been a fact of life in EVERY factory in America for decades.
You all sure do brag on the fine workmanship in your fire arms. The ONLY gun company I know of that tests is Sig,
T/C didn't bother, they knew they would not be able to fill positions, including set up people, Lead men, and Inspectors.
Any one with machining ability,or a willingness to work in a Foundry is either a pothead or to close (or over ) to retirement.
Both of the guys I know who got hired at Sig were stoners, which shows how good testing works.
It isn't meant to tell if you use weed, it's intent is to see if you are to dumb to pass the test.