walktheOACline

Even though StompSteed couldn't unravel the story any further, there are difficulties still remaining between the ACTRA folks and the TV techs over at 'Deal or No Deal Canada', so until the whole thing gets over with enjoy something in a lighter yet similar vein {Batten, Barton, Durstine, Osborn - Omnicom} The "Chrysler's Folgers Switch Ads" Chrysler 300 Ad Dodge Grand Caravan Ad Jeep Commander Ad

I hear that those CEP powerline workers are still being ignored. After ratification the snearing returned. Once again, their concerns were spurned at plant level, and shunned at corporate level: the rebellion mounted. It's slowly working its way back out into the public space. It clearly looks like a protest / boycott video short is under way. The working title is "Edge or No Edge!" Here's a bit of the transcript: I was a fool. I worked tons of overtime to help the company out, Way too much OT. Along the way I lost my family and my friends. I became feelingless numb. Now their trying to take away my future. Sure I'll fight back. It don't matter any more. I got nothing left to lose. Scheduled for release February 1, 2007, the clips will be online this holiday season. Check out YouTube for the latest postings

THE CHANGES MADE AND THE CHANGES STILL TO COME ON THE ROAD AGAIN This round of leadership changes indicate that the enterprise is open to new dimensions of thought. As of today, nearly all the usual suspects have been swapped out, and a brilliant new beginning is in the offing, so foot-dragging at this late stage just won't do now. Nothing short of 'all new wires, sockets and bulbs' to light the way to a complete new, powerfilled, energized location. The purge is almost done. A SEA CHANGE FOR ALL The buying public, eager for travel and exploration is ready to be taken on a bigger ride than they've let themselves be taken for. They have a new found identity that casts off the 5 year old fear-mentality, and they welcome a new governing formula with an impact that will endure for at least 15 years. WORKERS ON THEIR FEET READY FOR ACTION Now that their futures have been made less dark and cloudy, the workers will become more optimistic and ambitious, and continue to be so even though, til now, their hopes were dashed. However, in order to function in such a gigantic manufacturing environment, each and every one of the the mass plant population needs to have strong, idealistic, goal-oriented natures. They are now prepared to be rebellious and will keep on the side of the underdog. They have taken to fight for the consumer. They believe that the company fortunes and their own are justly tied to a quality product that meets the needs of their customers, the vehicle drivers. BOSSES BOW OUT The admin driven culture of snubbing, scolding and shunning will now die. People on the floor, at the centre of the electro-mechanical gargantuan, will return to their intolerant adherence to ritual and conventional workrules, and their desire to reinstate their past practices will not dwindle, regardless of pressures from the opposite side. Perhaps in consolation, there will be something of a return to the in-plant Christmas meal, celebrated long ago, remembered in an almost impenetrable fog, that could signal a renewed sense of glory, success and prosperity, in something like a community of caring neighbors. Perhaps the sudden, unexpected arrival of warm, dry, subtropical winds from the far south will breath more air of hope for all, leading to a tremendous renaissance as newcomers from the near south west fill the many voids to come. HELL HATH NO FURY Having been jilted in the past, these workers are ever-the-more ready to get a strop on and begin to sulk if they are betrayed anew. I won't pretend that what this past management team has said and done wasn't deeply hurtful. This time, their rejection will be countered with sullen, and very angry outbursts and nearly inconsolable defiance. But by having a successfull product launch, both sides can ensure that together they protect and enhance the quality of life through providing efficient and effective customer-focused services. THE FACTS OF THE MATTER ARE THESE: - circumstances will better themselves as the mass of employees learn firsthand, on their own terms, what needs to be done; - the new, all encompassing outreach must focus on cobbling together all disparate sections of the site personel; - harmonious connections must be re-developed between the public, the plant, the suppliers, the government bureaucracies and the worker organisations; - an allowance for many early successes in which some are encouraged to move much further ahead of the pack, to hit those faraway milestones well in advance of muddling middle, and subsequent heralding, with accolades and kudos, for their adeptness at blazing a trail to well and truly deserved win for all; Please continue to include your comments of this facility in transition. Best wishes to one and all!

You don't need to be afraid of the future any longer! Let's clean up the rest of the rot togther! We all just heard about the November 17th, 2006 Ford Edge plant management employment changes: http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index...?showtopic=8365 and for a moment or two we think about the remaining chain-of-command changes that still need to be done. We have questions about this recent incident - Is this all? Are there more corrections to be made. Weren't they listenng to what I said? Should I have said more, much more? It's clear that your continued silence is leaving your own employment future in jeopardy. Sheilding these perpetrators will only result in more corrosive divisions between your ranks. Did you choose that side you are on, or have you been forced onto it? How many teams can they force you to play on? Why is there all this mystery? You know that they must be stopped, but you don't want to do it alone. You can share just a little of what you know with us! You are an important part of this community. After reading your post, others like you can be more at ease. We will all feel safer too. They can add to your offering. More will join in too, telling what they know. Together the whole story will be laid bare and we'll all know where we stand. Lately, behind closed doors, in private, some of you have made mention of management shortcomings. After the interview, you realised that there was more that you might have included. You felt that, in a couple of days, you would send off some additional details and clarifying points, but you never got around to it. Now, you see what's happened and you are toubled with pangs of guilt. You could have said more, much more during that first go round, but didn't. You should have spoken up then, but't couldn't. This part of the forum gives you a place to make it right. Here is where you can clear things up. All of us here still need the details you know about to be publicly presented. There are many lurkers, like you, on this board who know much more than the typical contributor. You read the posts and bide your time. We need to hear from you from this point forward. Please tell us what you know about those sweepings under the rug, those circumstances where people got inappropriately fired / transfered / ignored / promoted. Tell us about the incompetance, the fraud, and the misappropriations. The overall management system needs to be repaired, bit-by-bit and piece-by-piece. Swapping one failed plan / manager / process for another one of comparable quality does not help us at all. To grow and prosper, many baby steps need to be taken in a positive direction. Having one shoe nailed to the floor keeps us trudging in circles getting back to that same old nowhere of despair and doubt. You can help us to clean out this rot and move to a more stable foundation upon which we will grow and prosper. Please post the parts of the story you know about here, today.

The 3 'TIME 2002 Persons of the Year' displayed immense intestinal fortitude to nut up and bring their stories forth. They knew that there was more than just one bad apple spoiling the barrel. They named names, all of the names. "They took huge professional and personal risks to blow the whistle on what went wrong at WorldCom, Enron and the FBI—and in so doing helped remind us what American courage and American values are all about." http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/person...2/poyintro.html Many insiders have deep suspicions, and a few have the where with all to step up with what they know. Some play their hand close to the vest, biding their time. Some come forth when pushed too far. Others simply tell their story when asked. Cards can't be dealt to you here, nor can this forum shove you around, but you can be asked to tell the part of the story that needs to be heard. We need to hear more from you and more from others like you!

Is it a supplier problem, a worker problem or a process problem? http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...d=1163631018785 Ford delays new models Glitches found in processes at plant Edge, Lincoln MKX set for December Nov. 16, 2006. 07:33 AM TONY VAN ALPHEN BUSINESS REPORTER Toronto Star Ford is delaying delivery of its "game-changer" crossover utility vehicles because of glitches in processes at the company's assembly plant in Oakville and some problems with suppliers. Joe Hinrichs, vice-president of manufacturing for parent Ford Motor Co., disclosed yesterday that the Ford Edge and luxury Lincoln MKX crossover utility vehicles won't be in showrooms across the continent until some time in December. "We've had disruptions," Hinrichs said in an interview. "The product is ready and looking great but we want to make sure our processes are equally ready." The struggling auto giant had said earlier that the new models, which are key products in the company's recovery plan, would be in showrooms this month. But Hinrichs said Ford is holding "several thousand" vehicles around the Oakville complex for inspections again before delivery. Hinrichs and other Ford officials would not disclose the problems with its processes on assembly lines or what parts with suppliers are affecting production. "We want to make sure that our processes are ready to provide, on a consistent basis, the quality and timeliness of deliveries that our dealers and customers expect," Hinrichs said. The company has check points at hundreds of line work stations and wants consistency at all of them before releasing any models to dealers, he said. "We're not yet at that level," added Hinrichs, who was Ford of Canada's president for 10 months before the parent company promoted him last year. A picket line and strike by a group of workers who operate the company's powerhouse in late September slowed progress because production employees could not report to their jobs inside the plant, he added. Ford began accelerating production in mid-October at the plant after working on prototypes since the spring. It followed a $1 billion reconstruction of the Oakville complex into a flexible manufacturing operation that can build up to four or five models on the same line. Ford is phasing out the slow-moving Freestar minivan next year in Oakville and will replace it with a "people mover" model. Company officials have said the Edge and MKX models will shake up the cross-over utility segment, the fastest growing category in the auto industry. The Oakville plant is the sole source of the models. Ford has already received advance orders of more than 20,000. Hinrichs said the delay is nothing unusual for a product launch and will result in backing up delivery times by only a few weeks. John Arnone, a Ford of Canada spokesperson, said the plant is taking the extra time to make sure the models achieve the same high standards that allowed the company's Fusion mid-size car to top the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in recent reliability surveys. Although Ford has no Edge and MKX models in showrooms, the company launched a major marketing campaign recently including unusual television vignettes during popular programs such as Prison Break, House and Las Vegas. The background environment in each commercial leads viewers to momentarily believe they are actually watching the program.

Can the lack of disclosure on the impact back then clarify the impact on operations now? http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/02102006/...ive-strike.html Tiny Ford union local OKs contract after disruptive strike in Oakville Mon Oct 2, 4:36 PM Yahoo! Finance OAKVILLE, Ont. (CP) - Sixteen Ford of Canada (F) workers whose strike caused delays last week at the company's Oakville plant west of Toronto have ratified a collective agreement. The employees at a powerhouse and water-treatment facility adjacent to the factory are represented by the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union, which said their job action led to "an improved collective agreement, a more respectful employer and a more united workforce." Their picket line last Monday and Tuesday had tangled traffic and disrupted shift changes for more than 2,000 members of the Canadian Auto Workers. The action stopped as bargaining resumed on Wednesday. CEP regional vice-president Cec Makowski said the contract settlement included an undertaking by Ford to consider building a power co-generation facility in Oakville. The automaker did not disclose the impact of the CEP tie-up on its plant, which has a capacity of about 1,000 vehicles per day assembling the Ford Freestar minivan and new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover vehicles. Ford has invested $1 billion in making the plant a flexible manufacturing facility and said one result was a shift to electric tools instead of equipment powered by compressed air from the power plant. The automaker sought to eliminate four jobs, saying it was offering $70,000 retirement incentives and "generous" pension provisions.

This November, will there be teething on a new process or seething at a supplier to the Oakville Assembly Plant? http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi...759,print.story News bulletin Ford seethes over supplier's stoppage October 18, 2006 By TOM KRISHER ASSOCIATED PRESS Chicago Tribune When auto parts supplier Collins & Aikman Corp. got into a pricing dispute with Ford Motor Co., it knew exactly how to hit the nation's second-largest automaker where it hurts. On Friday night, the company stopped shipping carpet, instrument panels and other plastic parts to Ford's plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, forcing Ford to shut down assembly lines that make the hot-selling Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ mid-sized cars. The stoppage lasted for only one shift, but a Ford spokesman said it irreparably harmed the company's relationship with Southfield-based Collins & Aikman, which is operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The stoppage, which Ford said was unprecedented conduct for a supplier, underscores the tension between parts manufacturers and automakers as the Big Three continue to press suppliers for cost cuts in the face of intense competition from Asian car companies. It also cost Ford about 400 vehicles, which the company said it will be able to make up at the Hermosillo plant even though it currently is running 24 hours per day. Collins & Aikman President and Chief Executive Paul Macher and Vice President of Engineering and Design Mary Ann Wright are both former Ford executives, and Ford spokesman Paul Wood said they should know the impact of the decision to stop shipments. Given their decades of auto industry experience and their decades of experience at Ford, they know full well what happens to a relationship when a supplier disrupts a customer's production or even threatens to do so, Wood said Wednesday. Ford had to shut down work on a shift that began at 11 p.m. Friday and ended at 6 a.m. Saturday, Wood said. Parts shipments resumed for the next shift and production was restarted after Ford gave Collins & Aikman the price increase it wanted. Wood said the parts shutdown occurred even though Ford had reached agreement with Collins & Aikman on about 90 percent of the disagreement, including what Wood called a reasonable price increase. Collins & Aikman spokesman David Youngman said the company would not comment on the dispute, which was reported Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal. But Youngman said the company hopes to continue supplying parts to Ford. We value our long-standing relationship with Ford and look forward to building upon our relationship in the future once this issue is behind us, Youngman said. He would not comment on the possibility of losing Ford's business, which he said amounts to about 25 percent of Collins & Aikman's production. Many parts suppliers, including Collins & Aikman, have plants on a campus next to Ford's Hermosillo plant, and they ship directly to the assembly plant in real time, Wood said. The parts stoppage also forced other Hermosillo suppliers to stop production, Wood said. Collins & Aikman, once led by former Reagan administration budget director David A. Stockman, filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2005. The company hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 by February.

The CEP union struck Ford last September, C&A hit Ford in October. Whose turn is it now? --- I have it on good authority that there is no official information available yet about the current status of the ongoing relations between those CEP workers and the company. It is understandable that Ford management is still feeling the effects of the strike by the CEP union workers last September. However, there does not appear to be any statement from the company that they have actually come to terms with the CEP union. Ford was clearly aware of their difficulties with the CEP, but there was no public acknowledgement until after the fact. Some material has appeared online at the rebel worker website: http://www.soldiersofsolidarity.com/files/...pany102006.html The union has a long history of tenaciously holding employers to their end of the bargain. They seem get what they set out to obtain. When will Ford make an official statement about the CEP situation? --- Almost unbelievably, the huge parts supplier, Collins and Aiken took a page right out of the CEP union playbook. C&A has been following the CEP union's game plan almost word for word this fall. They hobbled the Fusion plant, completely shutting it down. Just like the Oakville powerhouse that sits opposite the Oakville Assembly Complex, the C&A parts facility across the way from the Hermosillo factory copied the worker's attack plan and shut down that Mexican plant last month. Ford was clearly aware of their difficulties with C&A, but there was no public acknowledgement until after the fact. Here is a link to the C&A story from October: http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/collins-...lies-208373.php The parts supplier has a long history of tenaciously holding customers to their end of the bargain. They seem get what they set out to obtain. When will Ford make an official statement about the C&A situation? --- From the news stories and Ford's reluctance to explain, it is impossible to tell whether there is a union problem or a supplier problem at Oakville.

Auto DEADLINE (Wieck Media) presents hundreds of photos of the Ford Edge. There are three different sizes availabe for each snapshot: thumbnail - 5 KB, webpage - 30 KB, and large media - 1 MB. For the largest versions you need to have an account with Wieck. The pictures show people and the Ford Edge from various places in Canada and the United States. Here is the link: Auto DEADLINE - Ford Edge Photos Online

Yes, I did have trouble accessing the video clips yesterday, October 19, 2006. I was able to right click on the link and select the option 'Save Target As ...' which then allowed me to name and save the file to my computor. Today - Success! When I click on any link labelled 'Click here to download this clip', a dialogue box pops up. At that point I am able to select between 'Open' and 'Save' options. The 'Open' option causes the Ford Edge video file to be downloaded to my computor. During that downloading time nothing seems to be happening. Then, once I have received the entire video file, my computor media player starts up. Then the media player plays the Ford Edge video I selected to 'Open'. To play it once again I must make the repeat the selection process once again. The 'Save' option permits me to name and save the video file to my computor. The first time I saved the video file I really didn't notice where I saved it to. I couldn't find the video file on my computor because A. I didn't know where to look, and B. I didn't know the name it was saved under. So I tried the 'Save' option again. The second time I noticed that I was saving the Ford Edge video file to my computor 'Desktop'. Sure enough, when I looked at the desktop I could see the icon for the video. Just clicking on it made it play. I saved all of the Ford Edge video files to my desktop. I can play the videos over and over by just clicking on their desktop icon. I can play them all even without starting up my Internet browser. I am told that this 'Open' and 'Save' popup feature works like this because the fordedgeforum.com computor with the source video clips is not a 'streaming server', or something like that.

May your vehicle be delivered to you within a reasonable amount of time! Hopefully, there will not be any further labour/company disputes interrupting vehicle production at the OAC. Here is an outline as to why those festering problems might be going away. POWERHOUSERS STRIKE ACTION There really was a powerhouse worker strike against Ford Canada at the Oakville Assembly Complex in September, 2006. The picketting lasted two days, the strike a bit longer. The strikers were supported by over 90% of the production and skilled trades workers employed at the OAC.One of the strike issues between the parties centred on electricity cogeneration at Oakville. For several rounds of bargaining, the union had wanted the company to take a little look-see. Since the mid-1990's, they had been convinced that combined heat and power plant development was essential for continued improvement at Oakville. WIRES CROSSED During that period, the higher-higher-ups at Ford Canada HQ were somehow, inadvertently distracted from, and misinformed about, the cogen demand by the union. Coincidentally, the Ontario Minister of Energy directed the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to negotiate, execute and deliver contracts for certain power generation projects. The OPA began seeking Early Mover Contracts although there was some conceptual mix-ups as to their simultaneous eligibility for consideration under the government’s Clean Energy Supply Request for Proposals. KEPT IN THE DARK The top Ford brass didn't learn of the valuable opportunity passing them by even though they've been stacked deep in talent. The recent succession of top-flight administrators has included a strategy planner, an electrical engineer and a mechanical engineer. The electricity deals were inked this week, but Ford Oakville was not included. Here are two articles online today: Ontario secures $800 million investment in province's energy infrastructure - << First phase of combined heat & power plan adds 414MW of co-generation >> Ontario Power Authority 7 Ontario power projects get go-ahead - Largest could supply 100,000 homes - Power authority still short of target FORD GIVES YOU BETTER IDEAS! The union and the company did get a 3-year deal done with apparently no ill will between them. The CEP / Ford strike settlement did include a commitment by Ford Canada to mutally explore cogeneration opportunities at Oakville. Just last week, the new Ford's new CEO Allan Mulally issued a message to all Ford employees in which he said "Competitors may try to divide and conquer us; I'm determined we are not going to do that to ourselves." Mulally and other top-row management arrived in Oakville and participated in the ceremonial launch of the vehicle without a hitch. (not a disgruntled picketer to be seen) HOW MANY POWERHOUSE WORKERS ARE NEEDED TO CHANGE THE LIGHT BULB? As good fortune would have it, the Ontario Power Authority daren't now leave Ford and its union standing in the lurch for long. The OPA has but another phase of a competitive procurement process underway just now. It's only their first phase that has been completed today, as a matter of fact. The second phase announcement of June 15, 2005, stated that the Ontario Power Authority was directed by the Minister of Energy to procure for: Up to 1,000 MW of generation in the Greater Toronto Area West of Toronto ( comprised of the Hydro one 115kV and 230kV network and connected distribution systems of Toronto Hydro, Oakville Hydro, Enersource Hydro Mississauga Inc., PowerStream and Hydro One Brampton). Should a co-gen come to the OAC, powerhouse manpower increases might be in the offing. GET ILLUMINATED! The whole OPA offering is available online for anyone interested at: Ontario Electricity's Requests for Proposals Website

Today October 16, 2006, the media is all over the story about launch of the Ford Edge / Lincoln MKX at the Oakville Assembly Complex (OAC). CTV online news appears to have the most varied coverage. Their webpage sports an article, pictures, videos, web links and a related stories section. ARTICLE / PICTURES They present a detailed article about the first 2007 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX models. They mention the 'Great One', Ford of Canada's front man, Wayne Gretzky and his upcoming television commercials. CTV presents four pictures: a beautiful Ford Edge, the ceremonial handshake, an ariel view of the OAC, a snap from their video coverage. VIDEO In the video section there are two very good news segments that are about the today's launch. In the video 'CTV Toronto: John Musselman reports from Oakville, Ontario 1:37' the new vehicle is shown to arrive on the stage with celebrity occupants. Sound bites from dignitaries are also aired. In the video 'CTV Toronto: Linda Sims speaks with Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford 2:16' Ford's new president, Alan Mulally gave a strong showing. He also had praise for the 4000 employees that had worked on getting the vehicles assembled. WEB LINKS Ford Edge website http://www.fordvehicles.com/crossovers/edge/allnew/ Lincoln MKX website http://www.lincoln.com/mkx/home.asp RELATED STORIES And as an extra treat there is a link http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...me=&no_ads= to an earlier story 'Plant workers' strike disrupts Ford operations' That story covers the workers attempts to have Ford modernise the OAC facility. Their demands included that Ford's OAC become a customer of a gargantuan electrical co-generation installation, owned and operated by a 3rd party, but built on the OAC site. Ford OAC would use between 5 and 10% of the co-gen's proposed electrical output, but they could utilise all the co-gen's waste heat, that would otherwise be thrown away to the atmosphere. Co-gen, such a forward thinking operation would lower the negative environmental impact to the region. The assembly plant people would benefit by having a climate controlled workplace with winter heating and summer cooling, just like the Ford Windsor plant workers do already. Here is the link to the superb CTV coverage: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...1016?hub=Canada Please post links to all the other news stories about this wonderful launch.

CEP GRABS AT THE WHEEL There are noises that the CEP union will begin to grow larger again, this time more deeply into the auto industry sector. Their up-coming 7th national convention takes place in Vancouver, BC from Sunday October 15 through to Thursday October 19, 2006. Rumour has it that off-site hospitality suites may be arranged to host strategising sessions focussing on autoworker recruitment. ONTARIOWIDE: HONDA / TOYOTA / PARTS MAKERS Although not mentioned in the convention flyer: http://www.cep.ca/events/2006_convention/n...ay_oct_15_e.pdf there have been rumbling about wholesale organising of the auto industry within the province of Ontario, Canada. All of this activity flows from the sudden, yet stupendously paralyzing strike waged against Ford of Canada at Oakville, Ont late in September, 2006 by the CEP and their Local 2003. Throughout North America, many auto-workers at their own plants and facilities have now sat up and taken notice. Workplaces have the news articles and press releases about the industrial action posted front and centre on their notice boards. The workers at Honda 1&2, Toyota N&S, as well as numerous parts operations in SW Ontario have now found CEP as a viable alternative to the CAW, whom they continuously abhor. Some US based facility workers are asking the CEP to move into the UAW territory as well. CAW PLANT EXECUTIVE SCRUTINISED Even within the CAW-organised vehicle assembly plants there are more unanswered questions about the quality of the current representation and their leadership. As the give-backs to the corporations increase, grumblings are growing louder about the inability of the CAW inplant reps to connect and identify with and the workers on the floor. Since the strike, more CAW production line workers are asking themselves and their coworkers - "Why doesn't my union have any balls?" and "Why are they opening up our contract over and over? and "Why can't we stick together?" EYES WIDE SHUT The CEP Ford Oakville strike opened a lot of eyes. Perhaps, once CEP organises the Asian based plants, the NA based plant membership will sign up too. As the CAW carries on celebrating themselves in a never ending cascade of high profile press releases, media outreaches and publicity stunts the CEP continues to grow and prosper. Workers looking to organise are coming to realise that since the CAW has left the NDP, the CEP has filled the void: http://www.cep.ca/reg_ontario/files/ndp/ndp.html The CAW hasn't belonged to the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) for quite a while. Has the CAW finally lost sight of the autoworker struggle while the CEP appears ready to organise the unorganised on a finer, grander scale? The CEP Convention postmortem will reveal many juicy and succulent tidings!

Crippling strike at the Oakville Assembly Complex ends peacefully! Here is the link and the text of the today's CEP press release: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive...6/02/c4111.html Attention News Editors: CEP gets Ford back to bargaining and back to work OAKVILLE, ON, Oct. 2 /CNW Telbec/ - Sixteen striking Powerhouse and Water Treatment Operators stood up to the giant Ford Motor Company and the result is an improved collective agreement, a more respectful employer and a more united workforce. After only two days on the picket line, the members of Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, Local 2003 got their issues addressed, says CEP's Ontario Region Vice-President Cec Makowski, "including the company's agreement to explore the construction of a co-generation facility in Oakville." The members ratified the agreement, with 87.7 percent in favour. "It shows what solidarity of the membership can do," adds Mr. Makowski. "No matter how few members, when a CEP Local is on strike, it has the strength of the 150,000-member union behind it and that clearly counts for a lot," he says. For further information: Zoran Grgar, CEP National Representative, (905) 678-0800, ext. 225, cell: (647) 219-1970 Ford World Heaquarters heard the Information Picket of September 25 and 26, 2006 Someone has posted some snaps of the CEP pickets. Here is the links to the picture page. http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/compumani...r=b180re2&/ Let's hope now that FoMoCo and their unionised workers get back to building their 'jewel' - the Ford Edge / Lincoln MKX