Ford To Monitor, Time Employees' Potty Breaks

AP ^ | 10/27/05 | Staff

[cynicom]

Close the factories and move the jobs to China.

[staytrue]

48 minutes in the bathroom

Women and really old men hardest hit.

[Sterco]

Great Idea. Anything that makes the Chicoms stronger has to be great for the good old USA right? extreme sarc

[Red Badger]

Meanwhile, I'll go to the local Dillards or Macys and a dinky little purse costs $100.00 with a few pieces of bling-bling on it. I want to hear people complain about that stuff.

Okay here goes!.......My daughter (18) paid some un-godly amount of money (hers, not mine!) on some stupid purse with some stupid designers initials on it! Meanwhile she wants to "borrow" MY money for gas and other things!..............

[Sterco]

Obviously your hate of Unions even exceeds your love of country. Congradulations!!!

[cynicom]

Mine was with caustic sarcasm which trumps your extreme sarcasm everytime.

Some people will not rest until there is no longer a middle class.

[meyer]

Pay them for performance (productivity and quality) instead of for showing up and the "potty" breaks will be taken only when needed.

[staytrue]

refused to wash their hands

I was wondering what the secret ingredient was in Ford's new car smell.

[Aquinasfan]

It sort of resembles how the National Education Association operates. Keep all of those dunderhead teachers on school payrolls, watch the education of kids get flushed down the drain.

The difference with public sector unions is that it's impossible to kill the host organism.

[cynicom]

I should not have had to add a sarcasm tag.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I'm shakin' it Boss!

[staytrue]

Why do people complain about an SUV costing $40 K when it has to meet a mountain of detailed government safety standards, get reasonable gas mileage for it's size, weight, be safe for families, be attractive to the buyer and have all the little niceties everyone wants - room for the big people, luggage and everything else, cup holders and on and on.

No one is complaining, they are buying toyota highlanders and acura mdx's. No problem except you may have to put your name on a wait list to get one.

[mysterio]

I agree that 48 minutes a day is enough bathroom time. But you all are being hypocrites. I mean, assembly line workers don't get to sit and surf the net all day. I notice FR's most active time is during the work hours, and I doubt you all are stay at home parents. I would venture to say most of you waste hours on the internet on top of bathroom breaks, lunch, and whatever else. So don't be so quick to judge.

[Aquinasfan]

My daughter (18) paid some un-godly amount of money (hers, not mine!) on some stupid purse with some stupid designers initials on it! Meanwhile she wants to "borrow" MY money for gas and other things!.

LOL! Live and learn.

[ReformedBeckite]

a "toilet paper" union worker

Just make sure you tip the toilet paper worker or the next time you could be missing some paper work to get the job done.

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Well put.

[Sterco]

You have to understand. These are management and front office perks. Not to be confused with union schedules or benifits.

[Willie Green]

48 minutes in the bathroom??? That's a bit much. Figure in a 30 minute lunch (at least) and two 15 minute breaks (at least) and 48 minutes in the bathroom (hint: cut back on the bran) and I'd say the Ford workers don't have it too bad.

Manufacturing labor standards generally include an "allowance" for Personal, Fatigue and Miscellaneous Delays (PFD allowance) of 10~15%.
Although it's difficult to say precisely what is practiced at this specific facility, the 48 minutes leads me to believe that they're using 10% (480 minutes = 8 hr shift.)
This 48 minutes allowance is essentially a "catchall" to provide sufficient time for a variety of normal activities that occur, without having to constantly "clock-in" and "clock-out" of time spent actually performing production.
In other words, 48 minutes would INCLUDE the two 15-minute breaks, during which time employees are expected to use the restrooms and/or vending machine areas, etc.
48 - 2(15) = 18 minutes
The remaining 18 minutes are assumed to be equally split at the start and end of the shift when employees actually clock in and out. It once again covers miscellaneous acitivites such as walking to/from the timeclock to/from the assigned workstation, getting brief instructions from supervisors, routine minor start-up/shutdown/housekeeping crap, filling out paperwork, and yes going to the restroom at the beginning or end or the shift.

It would NOT include a 1/2 hour for lunch, during which time employees are usually "off the clock".

BTW, while two 15-minute breaks are not unheard of, two 10-minute breaks are more the norm. Yet the 48-minute total allowance would still be used.

The important thing to remember is that this is a "catchall" for all the miscellaneous activities that occur while employees are on the clock. It is standard practice throughout industry, and a precise breakdown of how many minutes/seconds are "allowed" is NOT defined.

[cynicom]

My supervisor was spending two hours, two days a week with his mistress. He would rant if were not present ten minutes prior to work time. When this item was mentioned to his supervisor, we were told that his doings were none of our business.

When people rant about unions I pay little heed.

[Willie Green]

Maybe it isn't all bathroom time -- might include "smoke breaks", as well. Takes a while to go outside, light up and inhale a whole cigarette.

BINGO!!!
Please see my reply #58 for an explanation of how these times are typically managed in manufacturing facilities.