Delphi Closes Bathrooms

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

To: [Delphi] Kokomo Site Employees
From: Mike Moran, Facility Manager, Kokomo Operations
Subject: Modification of Housekeeping Services to Improve Kokomo Site
Competitiveness

Modification of Housekeeping Services to Improve Kokomo Site Competitiveness
January 8, 2009

After detailed efforts to analyze and confront the housekeeping costs at the
Kokomo site, local management and the UAW have jointly established a plan to
significantly improve the site’s competitive position in the area of
custodial service costs. The resulting plan establishes a smaller group of
housekeeping personnel focused on core activities. Cost savings will be
immediate and will be achieved through productivity improvements and
reduction in the housekeeping work load.

The following elements are key components of the operating plan that will
affect all employees as soon as Monday, January 12:

* Consistent with the closure of Plant 9, Plant 10 and ITC, and in line with
the site population, several restrooms will be closed. Notices will be
placed on the doors of the restrooms that will be closed and the locations
for alternate options will be posted

* Incidental housekeeping will be performed by all employees. This includes
emptying of one’s trash basket into an area container and replacing trash
basket liners, and miscellaneous cleaning with a spray disinfectant and
wipes in one’s immediate work area. Supplies needed for these activities
(replacement liners, wipes, etc.), will be available in a manner consistent
with each area’s process for distributing general supplies. Maps indicating
the area trash collection containers will soon be distributed to area
personnel.

* Cleaning frequencies will be reviewed and extended where practicable.

Your support of this initiative is appreciated as the site takes this
significant step to improve our competitiveness. Further detailed
information will be provided soon.

Mike Moran
Facility Manager,
Kokomo Operations


Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Montgomery burns Montgomery burns on Jan 09, 2009

    Heh. Well I don't think closing bathrooms is that big a deal but I love the happy face spin they put on it. I did some work once for an aerospace company that was having troubles and trying to save money. They decided to cut back and even eliminate health insurance to salaried employees. I thought it would be a downer but it's actually a good thing to loose your health insurance, you'll be better off!

  • Anonymous Anonymous on Jan 09, 2009

    Reminds me of when our secretaries retired, both within 3 months of each other. In order to "save" money they didn't hire new ones for several months (general hiring freeze in place). For several months we had no secretaries and instead we had engineers answering the phones, doing the filing, etc. As I was about the only one willing and able to do such tasks, I was basically a secretary making engineer's wages for those months. Explain to me how paying twice as much money to an engineer as a secretary to do a secretary's job saves any money? If Delphi's engineers don't have enough to keep them busy, rather than shifting them to maintenance/cleaning, why not fire them and keep the maintenance people for less money?

  • ToolGuy From the relevant Haynes Repair Manual:"Caution: The 4.6L models require a special tool to extract the water pump from the coolant crossover housing. This special tool is expensive and the removal procedure is difficult. Have the water pump replaced by a dealer service department or other qualified automotive repair facility if the tool is not available."One version of the tool is Lisle 14440; I paid $10.82 (less 5% discount, plus shipping).You can see why I never attempt my own maintenance or repairs. 😉
  • Dave M. IMO this was the last of the solidly built MBs. Yes, they had the environmentally friendly disintegrating wiring harness, but besides that the mechanicals are pretty solid. I just bought my "forever" car (last new daily driver that'll ease me into retirement), but a 2015-16 E Class sedan is on my bucket list for future purchase. Beautiful design....
  • Rochester After years of self-driving being in the news, I still don't understand the psychology behind it. Not only don't I want this, but I find the idea absurd.
  • Douglas This timeframe of Mercedes has the self-disintegrating engine wiring harness. Not just the W124, but all of them from the early 90's. Only way to properly fix it is to replace it, which I understand to be difficult to find a new one/do it/pay for. Maybe others have actual experience with doing so and can give better hope. On top of that, it's a NH car with "a little bit of rust", which means to about anyone else in the USA it is probably the rustiest W124 they have ever seen. This is probably a $3000 car on a good day.
  • Formula m How many Hyundai and Kia’s do not have the original engine block it left the factory with 10yrs prior?
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