Did You Know? Federal Bailout Effectively Strips UAW Of Strike Privileges

The part about the loan conditions "requiring the UAW to accept half of the health care trust fund payments due to the union from the automakers in 2010 in the form of stock rather than cash..." is a key factor here. Now, maybe the UAW will work for the best interests of the company (i.e. stock price appreciation, achieved through better vehicles which hopefully would lead to more sales and better profits) instead of themselves.

— BSBB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2009 2:20:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Amen.

— dbtk (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2009 3:48:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Well...all I can say is that if the union even dared to strike, triggering the default, then you can kiss your union butts goodbye when the new union contract comes up. GM will not tolerate strikes anymore. In this economy, there are plenty of non-union people who would go to work for GM if there was a strike, effectively permanently replacing the union masses on the assembly lines. The UAW will not have the bargaining power it has enjoyed in the past.

— BSBB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2009 4:27:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

You keep using "major" and "national" strikes as your defense of the union. You (and the readers) need to remember that there have been numerous UAW strikes at various plants and suppliers over the past 30 years. You are attempting to mislead readers with your comments.

— BSBB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2009 4:49:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

Hey 1UAW...Last year...UAW vs American Axle...Smells like a strike to me...Unions = Bad for America!

— chalkeater (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2009 7:30:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

1UAW...A UAW strike is a UAW strike, whether it be with GM, American Axle, or any other automobile manufacturer or supplier. The fact is, the UAW is onloy interested in themselves. And, if my employer every told me (the employees) that they were lowering the pay, then I could either accept it or look for another job. That's life.

— BSBB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2009 4:11:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Good points..albeit a little harshly worded.

— BSBB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/10/2009 6:46:16 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

no that is exactly how it should be worded!

— evanescence (View Profile)

Posted on 1/10/2009 12:16:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Yeah, okay, and there's no such thing as wildcat strikes.
To unions, laws are merely optional and only followed if its to their advantage.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2009 8:33:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Have you ever heard of "at will" employment? Many, if not most, job situations are non-negotiable.

— BSBB (View Profile)

Posted on 1/12/2009 4:18:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Neutral,
In Ontario, Police and Fire rescue don't strike because they have responsibilities to the public and its also against the law (they actually follow laws).

In Toronto, the transit commission goes on strike every chance it gets. The one in York went on strike and had no public sympathy and folded within a week to accept their original offer.

Public unions (teachers, universities/colleges, gov't workers) don't care if students are screwed over when they go on strike. Right now York University has been on strike for 2 years, they don't care that students paid good money and may lose their entire year because contract workers want better job security and higher pay (its obvious they don't understand the meaning of "contract"). This is their 2nd consecutive strike in as many negotiations.

When Boeing finally recovered and starting beating Airbus a few years back, their machinist union went on strike and had no disregard that planes on order to make them #1 weren't going to be delivered.

Tell me again, today, what value unions add to goods, services or the public in general?

The WSIB ensures safe working conditions and is where people go if they refuse work they feel endangers them and it is quite effective. Unions not required.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2009 12:43:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0