Toyota should set the bar higher

AFL-CIO blog linky

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At the town hall meeting, Tim Unger, an 18-year veteran Toyota worker, said he’s noticed that some long-time workers have “disappeared” from the plant after they were hurt on the job—victims of Toyota’s quest for improved efficiency. Says Unger:

Shoulders would wear out, wrists would require surgery and back and hands started to fail. It seemed as if the good people who contributed to the success of Toyota were being used up and disposed of like garbage.

Also, at the town hall forum, other workers such as Noel Christian Riddell, a 10-year veteran skilled-trades worker, said the company seems to be relying more and more on low-wage temporary workers and ignoring experienced workers:

We executed model-change activities faster than any other manufacturer. I truly felt my contributions played a role in the company’s success. But something happened. After only a few years, training ceased. Suddenly, I had no sick days. My raises became smaller. My benefits were cut. My group’s manpower was slashed. And the number of temporary employees steadily grew.

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