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Automotive News & Views United Automobile Workers of America (UAW)
16701 messages, Last post on Nov 20, 2009 at 3:39 AM
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Replying to: gagrice (Dec 29, 2008 9:21 pm) The Big Three and the UAW aren't responsible for the current economic climate. The very fact that all of the auto makers are finding it hard to sell cars is evident. The UAW is for more consumer choice, not less. However, the UAW would rather encourage buy American and buy UAW made goods/services. Its just good business. There is good reason that those so called transplants pay a competitive wage aka the prevailing wage. They don't want their workforce to opt for UAW representation. If they don't pay a livable/compatible wage, those workers will vote in the union. You seem to forget that many of these same companies migrated from the north to the south. They did so to avoid the union. It wasn't too long after, that the southern workers voted in the union/UAW for representation. The equalization/globalization factor seems to be altogether avoided as a topic of discussion. The very same thing that occurred as factories moved below the Mason Dixon line. Many economist are now predicting that manufacturing will be moving back into the country. They see the weak dollar making American exports more attractive overseas. I'll have to see that, to believe that. Then too there is a move to unionism in China and other countries with oppressed workers. At this very moment there are labor leaders jailed in China. Lastly, the stereotypical indolent duffer that you label UAW worker is a far cry from those I've come across. They are just ordinary people working to support their families. No different than the non union workers out there trying to make their families lot in life better. Your outlook is rather pessimistic. I'll bet there were those back in the day, when the 364 day/no weekend/no benefits/working for life's basics, also said that the end of the gravy train was over. Little did they know that consumerism would include a large middle class and not just an elite privileged few. This was far better for everyone, the companies made more profits and our standard of living was the envy of the world. Consumerism is and will be the true downfall of communism/socialism and big labor/UAW has a part in it. As those folks in China see consumer products that ordinary Americans enjoy, they will want the same. Besides, if we just didn't have the consumer society and or that consumer has no means to buy, who the hell is going to buy the goods and services produced by the corporations? I don't know if its a good or bad thing, but our nation consumes more than any other on the planet. America fuels the world economy. The Japan's/China's/India's and others seek our markets. Think about it and what the implications of shipping all of the jobs overseas. Just how much does a Walmart employee's check buy? Can they buy a new car or are they looking on the used car lot? American jobs fuel this economy and are that goose that lays the golden egg. Apple was bailed out by Microsoft. Since then they went on to beat down the famous Sony Walkman brand and are the leader in MP3 players/IPOD's and look to get their IPHONE market going. Another IAMERICAN story of beating the odds after a bail out.
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Replying to: dallasdude1 (Dec 30, 2008 5:44 am) Please don't forget that the Microsoft-Apple transaction was not a taxpayer-funded bailout. Microsoft chose to invest $150M in Apple for reasons that made good business sense back then (1997) to Bill Gates. I had no problem with that, just as I would have no problem if, say, BMW chose to invest money in GM in return for an equity stake in Cadillac. That would be fine with me. But I do have a big problem with the nutty idea that American taxpayers have some sort of obligation to ride to the rescue of the domestic car makers. That's not an investment. That's a state-sanctioned mugging.
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Replying to: dino001 (Dec 30, 2008 5:27 am) Just because your unaware of it, doesn't mean that it isn't happening. The Toyota/Honda have much more to worry about as Chindia (China and India make up a third of the worlds population) awakens. You seem to think that everyone on the planet lives by the American standard. I respect your opinions and views, but disagree that this evolution and or morphing is just a carefully planned progression. First, see who owns the media outlets. Then see why a large chemical corporation kept the dairy hormone story off the air. The very same chemical that is banned in Europe and Canada. http://www.takebackthemedia.com/owners.html http://anti-union.blogspot.com/2008/10/video-fox-news-monsanto-cover-up-bovine.h- tml Second, watch that "Darwin's Nightmare" documentary. http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/darwinsnightmare
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Replying to: dallasdude1 (Dec 29, 2008 5:50 pm) First what would a golden parachute be? Most salaried employees today get some kind of money to leave a company. It used to 2 weeks salary I thought but it seems like many get one year of salary. And it is just not the auto companies in this. Last night I was with someone who was let go from an advertising firm due to downsizing. His one year is almost up. So from this a one year payment would not be considered a golden parachute? Or would it be? From Wikipedia: A golden parachute is an agreement between a company and an employee (usually upper executive) specifying that the employee will receive certain significant benefits if employment is terminated. Sometimes, certain conditions, typically a change in company ownership, must be met, but often the cause of termination is unspecified. These benefits may include severance pay, cash bonuses, stock options, or other benefits. They are designed to reduce perverse incentives. So I would say a one year severance package would not be a golden parachute. It would be some kind of pre agreed package. I do not believe any GM execs have this. Would it be in the financials of a company?
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Replying to: jimbres (Dec 30, 2008 6:04 am) Good point! However, my contention is that there is life after a bail out. Unfortunately, Bill Gates is retired. I did meet his father in law, years ago. Great person and his daughter did well. Then too I met/saw Bill at the COMDEX. These new billionaires are a far cry from the greedy wanna be groups of the past. Warren Buffet and some other older ones excluded. Well educated and wanting to make a difference they are the future. I understand they are dealing with the problems in the third world and have their hands full. I respect and support their efforts. We could go on to the saying. What would a smart man/Bill Gates/Melinda Gates/Warren Buffet do? If you ever have the chance to see Microsoft, I think you would agree that its a perfect model for future corporations. Then again they have our best and brightest working there.
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Replying to: dallasdude1 (Dec 30, 2008 5:44 am) That is my point. GM WAS the goose laying the golden egg. The UAW in their greed wanted more of the egg than GM products could sustain. Now they are in bankruptcy for all practical purposes. As those folks in China see consumer products that ordinary Americans enjoy, they will want the same I would say a portion of them are already buying products and cars. China went from no personal automobiles in 1985 to the second largest auto market. They have passed up number 2 Japan. Some one in China must be making enough to buy a lot of cars. They will pass up the US sooner than later. They may be real close this year. Apple was bailed out by Microsoft. Since then they went on to beat down the famous Sony Walkman brand and are the leader in MP3 players/IPOD's and look to get their IPHONE market going. Another IAMERICAN story of beating the odds after a bail out. Do you think ANY of those Apple electronic devices was built by American workers? So tell me how a Chinese built iPhone is an American triumph? At this point in time the UAW built vehicles are becoming nearly insignificant. The US consumer is not king of the World any longer. Countries like China soon to be number ONE, Russia, Brazil, India are picking up the slack in Auto sales. This year we will buy less than 20% of the world's vehicles. While that is still a lot. It is 40% less than last year. Far worse than the rest of the World. Morgan Stanley now expects global car sales to decline 0.3 percent this year to 58.1 million vehicles after forecasting an expansion of 3.5 percent at the beginning of the year. China will still account for much of the sales increase as its economy heads for a sixth straight year of double-digit growth. But with so much resting on that market, competition is set to intensify just as fast. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/01/business/auto.php |
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Replying to: 62vetteefp (Dec 30, 2008 6:37 am) It would/should be on a publicly traded company. I looked and it seemed like a waste of time, way too many PDF files. Normally, I do look to see if the corporate officers are either buying or selling stock and or their options. |
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Replying to: dallasdude1 (Dec 30, 2008 6:37 am) So you agree with me that a government bailout is a terrible idea. That's great!
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Replying to: iluvmysephia1 (Dec 29, 2008 8:31 pm) Thats a great story. Glad it all worked out and the best of luck. My company sent me off to train. Factory training and they paid for it. Upon completion we set to make this $500,000 five axis machine tool work. As a team we developed a post, used best practice methods/processes, and a host of other proprietary issues. They told me that if we got it going "people/engineers/programs would be lined up to use it". That meant work. So was/is the case. While at the factory I did see the competition and or the Japanese counterpart. He was excellent. However, they are years behind as our team is much more enterprising and we intend to keep it that way. By their own admissions, they are not capable of making the complex parts in a short time we now make. As a team we did more and exceed the companies/customers expectations. All we needed is respect for one another and a company that fosters innovation by bringing people together. This is a world class a process in progress, which has the potential to bring in more work. I have other interests too. I do community service and am glad that my company encourages it. They also subsidize my gym membership. Time to be with my family and vacations are important. Both my company and union (UAW) have a relationship which has allowed me to raise a family in comfort. Its all about relationships. They did their part and I did mine. This year I'm coming in with a purpose. I'm aiming to kick it up a couple of notches. I've invested well and have done more than enough to provide for the future, but refuse to coast. This is all about ego in some respect. Playing within the system, doing the right thing, respecting others, and we will all be winners. Barring injury or bad luck, we/I'm giong to be a winner. 09 is mine
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Tonight the Senate did not see fit to take care of autoworkers. They’d rather union bust and hand out money to companies like AIG, so they can take spa retreats and give out golden parachutes. They’d rather watch Detroit fall further and further and watch Michigan’s unemployment rate go higher and higher. For Wall St. they asked few questions and wrote larger checks. For Main St. they demand concessions and czars and oversight. Pensions and health care and worker protection were demonized all in the name of business. The pension that keeps people like my grandfather able to pay for care in their golden years. The health care that most Americans would work their asses off for. The worker protection no one has anymore, but sure could use in this day and age. Tonight my government could have helped and impacted those who don’t wear suits and instead will leave them out in the cold. Tonight the missteps of an industry were held up as a symbol of the free market and it’s workers thrown to the wolves despite GOP Senators welcoming foreign counterparts with open arms in the South. Tonight we told American workers they mattered less than the 100% Japanese government funding of plants in our states. I’m not one for bailouts. I’m not one to always scream ‘BUY AMERICAN.’ But I am one who supports local jobs, local manufacturing, and local indstury. I also support the need for unions in a world of WalMarts. Tonight I stand shoulder to shoulder with American workers and hope we weather the storm to come. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=367- x15487 |
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