Gm Worker Strike

[redss.com]

Probably doesn't affect the people that already own a GM, but GM's workers are on strike.

 

http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/24/news/compa...dex.htm?cnn=yes

[KissMySilvSS]

It will affect my family, we own 4 GM dealerships! Depending on how long this lasts, it could be huge to all GM dealers.

Edited September 24, 2007 by KissMySilvSS (see edit history)

[Bad Bowtie]

That does SUCK.

[Black2003SS]

I'm sorry, and I know I may take some flak for this...but I can't wait for the day the UAW is broken. If there ever was a real life anaology of "Biting the hand that feeds you...", its the UAW and their greedy practices. I will give the credit where credit is due and the UAW has helped implement alot of laws and regulations for safety concerns and health care etc. However, what the UAW is failing to recognize is that they are now making the US auto companies non-competitive with their constant demands for pay and benefit increases. Also, I disagree with how much job protection the UAW has. If you are caught with porn on your computer at work...your done...no arbitration, no appeals...get out...the same it is anywhere else in the US. I guess I am also concerned with how a high school diploma person can make more per hour than most college graduates, all for pushing a broom or riveting something on the production line. Now, dont get me wrong, there are alot of skilled tradesmen in the UAW that do deserve what they make, like die makers, electricians, welders, etc. Not to mention, most UAW people I know dont like to strike either because it hurts them also, but if they are forced to by the union, whether they agree with it or not. The funny thing I learned about hwo strikes are determined is by the local chapter representatives, not the majority rul fo membership in the union, its not so democratic. Ok...rant off...flak away at me...but its my opinion and I am sticking to it.

[Black2003SS]

P.S. Does anyone recognize the fact that the US economy and trends in industry are starting to stack up just like the depression of the early 80's? FYI...

[redss.com]

I'm sorry, and I know I may take some flak for this...but I can't wait for the day the UAW is broken. If there ever was a real life anaology of "Biting the hand that feeds you...", its the UAW and their greedy practices. I will give the credit where credit is due and the UAW has helped implement alot of laws and regulations for safety concerns and health care etc. However, what the UAW is failing to recognize is that they are now making the US auto companies non-competitive with their constant demands for pay and benefit increases. Also, I disagree with how much job protection the UAW has. If you are caught with porn on your computer at work...your done...no arbitration, no appeals...get out...the same it is anywhere else in the US. I guess I am also concerned with how a high school diploma person can make more per hour than most college graduates, all for pushing a broom or riveting something on the production line. Now, dont get me wrong, there are alot of skilled tradesmen in the UAW that do deserve what they make, like die makers, electricians, welders, etc. Not to mention, most UAW people I know dont like to strike either because it hurts them also, but if they are forced to by the union, whether they agree with it or not. The funny thing I learned about hwo strikes are determined is by the local chapter representatives, not the majority rul fo membership in the union, its not so democratic. Ok...rant off...flak away at me...but its my opinion and I am sticking to it.

 

Won't be taking any flak from me.

[misterp]

P.S. Does anyone recognize the fact that the US economy and trends in industry are starting to stack up just like the depression of the early 80's? FYI...

Yup. Hankg42 just told me this weekend he's had his house on the market for all summer now and can't sell it because there are another 60 similar homes in his market (Staten Island). I think we are really in for a "market correction".

 

Mr. P.

[Hankg42]

Yup. Hankg42 just told me this weekend he's had his house on the market for all summer now and can't sell it because there are another 60 similar homes in his market (Staten Island). I think we are really in for a "market correction".

 

Mr. P.

One small correction... I grew up in Staten Island, but live on Long Island now. (Probably the way I told the story, Steve.) And those 60 houses for sale are just in my town. Sucks. But I agree quite a bit about the union comments. Years ago they helped fix a lot of abuses, got people who needed them good benefits, etc. But I believe in this day and age, most unions have outlived their usefullness. (I'll put on my flak jacket too.)

[CoolBlueSS]

One small correction... I grew up in Staten Island, but live on Long Island now. (Probably the way I told the story, Steve.) And those 60 houses for sale are just in my town. Sucks. But I agree quite a bit about the union comments. Years ago they helped fix a lot of abuses, got people who needed them good benefits, etc. But I believe in this day and age, most unions have outlived their usefullness. (I'll put on my flak jacket too.)

I agree with that totally. I also think that's partly why we're having a hard time competing, price wise, in the auto industry.

[JDGreen]

I'm sorry, and I know I may take some flak for this...but I can't wait for the day the UAW is broken. If there ever was a real life anaology of "Biting the hand that feeds you...", its the UAW and their greedy practices. I will give the credit where credit is due and the UAW has helped implement alot of laws and regulations for safety concerns and health care etc. However, what the UAW is failing to recognize is that they are now making the US auto companies non-competitive with their constant demands for pay and benefit increases. Also, I disagree with how much job protection the UAW has. If you are caught with porn on your computer at work...your done...no arbitration, no appeals...get out...the same it is anywhere else in the US. I guess I am also concerned with how a high school diploma person can make more per hour than most college graduates, all for pushing a broom or riveting something on the production line. Now, dont get me wrong, there are alot of skilled tradesmen in the UAW that do deserve what they make, like die makers, electricians, welders, etc. Not to mention, most UAW people I know dont like to strike either because it hurts them also, but if they are forced to by the union, whether they agree with it or not. The funny thing I learned about hwo strikes are determined is by the local chapter representatives, not the majority rul fo membership in the union, its not so democratic. Ok...rant off...flak away at me...but its my opinion and I am sticking to it.

 

No flak from me either. I work in the automotive supplier business and get top visit numerous assembly plants. Nothing burns me more than seeing union employees taking turns taking a nap - true story it happened in GM Oshawa Plant.

A good friends father was an union electrician for FoMoCo and he use to brag about his how his seniority allowed him to do basically nothing all day. He could turn down jobs if there was someone else with less seniority available. He would talk about how he played poker all day in the shop. Makes you wonder why GM is not making money.

[Black2003SS]

The best one though is when there is something spilled on the floor in the plant...there are 3 guys standing there looking at the spill making $25/hr...none of which will clean it up because its not their "job" to...they are waiting for facilities/janitor to come clean it up at $20/hr...

[BOB47]

OK, here's some flak for you.

 

As a person who has worked for GM and non-union places let me say that you're sadly mistaken in your views.

 

Start with wages and work conditions. If they didn't pay what they do the turnover in plants would be incredibly high. There's no other reason to stay there other than the money and benefits. Quality would be gone totally with a high turnover rate. No, it doesn't take a college degree to bolt parts together but you try doing it for 9+ hours a day, 4-5 times a minute with only a couple short breaks. It's the most mind-numbing work in the world. Without the wages and benefits, I would have walked out the door the 1st day.

 

People bitch about the price of cars going up because of the workers raises. We would get a 4% raise and GM would raise the price of the cars 10%. How come we're the bad guys? I won't even get into the ridiculous salaries and bonuses the upper management gets for running the company badly.

 

I do agree that the unions have gotten ridiculous in some of their demands. BUT---without them you and I would be working under the same conditions and for the same wages as the Mexicans and Indians and all the other non-union countries. Take a look at the standard of living in these other non-union countries. The working class live in shacks with NO health care. NO concern for the health or safety for their workers and work their people like dogs. Is that what you want in the USA? Bust all the unions and that's exactly what you'll get.

 

If you think that the car companies are concerened about you, the worker, you'd better wake up and smell the coffee. The unions are the only reason we have the standard of living that we do. Look at America in the early 20th century to see what will happen again without the unions to protect us.

 

Unions are both good and bad. In some respects they have gotten too strong but without them we'd all be in real trouble.

[Black2003SS]

No, it doesn't take a college degree to bolt parts together but you try doing it for 9+ hours a day, 4-5 times a minute with only a couple short breaks. It's the most mind-numbing work in the world. Without the wages and benefits, I would have walked out the door the 1st day.

 

Then great...lets give it to the mexicans and indians to do cheaper...because the reality is that if thats all you can do as a skill, have you seen what non-union unskilled labor makes for the same job? The wage gap is HUGE!. A gm assembler makes $25/hr and non-union...say at an appliance factory makes $13/hr...The point Bob is that if GM ever breaks the union or sends your job overseas, you will be making $13/hr so it would behoove you and the UAW to cooperate and not make demands for pay that isnt deserving of it. And honestly Bob, I know nothing about you personally, but I do know alot of people in the UAW and their skill set would barely get them a job at Mcdonalds drive thru window after 20yrs putting a few bolts together...the labor is not worth the money being paid for it and it shows...Why do you think Toyota is making so much money? Why do you think they are selling more cars? Because they pay labor for what it is worth and their quality doesn't suffer anymore than GM or UAW...think about.

[Big O]

Make sure this doesn't turn ugly guys ... talking and debating is one thing ... just remember it's not that big of a deal ... and don't let this get nasty.

[Bigdogx]

Then great...lets give it to the mexicans and indians to do cheaper...because the reality is that if thats all you can do as a skill, have you seen what non-union unskilled labor makes for the same job? The wage gap is HUGE!. A gm assembler makes $25/hr and non-union...say at an appliance factory makes $13/hr...The point Bob is that if GM ever breaks the union or sends your job overseas, you will be making $13/hr so it would behoove you and the UAW to cooperate and not make demands for pay that isnt deserving of it. And honestly Bob, I know nothing about you personally, but I do know alot of people in the UAW and their skill set would barely get them a job at Mcdonalds drive thru window after 20yrs putting a few bolts together...the labor is not worth the money being paid for it and it shows...Why do you think Toyota is making so much money? Why do you think they are selling more cars? Because they pay labor for what it is worth and their quality doesn't suffer anymore than GM or UAW...think about.

 

 

I swear some people in the UAW just have no damn clue what the real world is like outside of these union plants, but pretty soon when they are selling off their homes and middle class lives because they went from 50+ a year to about 20-25 they will be wishing they compromised to keep their jobs! Gm is just looking to survive and they can not be paying these wages and retirement benefits and remain competitive with the competition that simply have non of these cost!

 

What's worse gm pulling out of this country and taking hundreds of thousands of jobs with it because the unions wont budge or compromising to keep jobs here for people and making a little less? You make it sound like since it is mind numbing and boring that it should be high paying welcome to the real world were most factory jobs are this way and by the way pay 1/3 of what you make, and they don't care if you hate it because their will be hundreds of others willing to take your spot if you quit.

 

Times have changed and it's too bad that union members do not see this, i think keeping their jobs intact rather then losing them trying to prove a point that frankly the rest of america will not care about is beyond me. Also funny how unions have tried to inject themselves into the toyota plants but their workers want no part of what they have to offer!