UAW Says It Will Rather Tax Payers Foot The Bill Than Accept Cuts To Keep Detroit Afloat

They'll reap what they sow.

— holmstar (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 11:38:34 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 13   

+1...and they expect the rest of America to sympathize with them with that kind of attitude.

— Need4Speed (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 12:07:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 13   

This is the very reason the Big Three should not get a bail out. By allowing them to go into bankrupcy, they will be able to break the back of the union and actually have a flexible work force.

— HSCenterconsole (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 12:13:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 11   

I thought we didn't negotiate with terrorists?

Now every month, we have another group of assclowns telling us to either give them BILLIONS "or ELSE".

— Hantra (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 12:17:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 23   

I mean seriously, what'd you expect them to say? They're still looking out for their own butts.

— PlanB (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 12:38:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

They want taxpayers to make the sacrifice and they're not will to put in any effort?

I'll continue to buy Japanese & German thanks.

— daytonaviolet (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 12:46:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 13   

Now I really want them to fail. This way the UAW can eat it and fend for themselves instead of earning post work wages of $71 per hour. Executives dont even make that much.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 12:48:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

Well what many of you dont know is that we already took a 50% pay cut, and new hires have almost no health insurance. The real fact is that labor is only 10% of the cost of building a car for them now, why isnt anbody reporting this? And why would 009 change the name of the article to insite hate?

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 1:11:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -16   

UAW will soon stand for Unemployed Auto Workers

— sold2early (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 1:32:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 18   

Corporate America has become a Rouge Nation.

There are huge numbers of people who go to work every day and work without healthcare, and many Americans who have lost their job. Throwing money at these companies so workers can have what many other Americans don’t have is foolishness.

On the other hand Corporate America has Taxpayers and ordinary working people by the B*LLs. The oil companies took the profits they wanted, and broke the backs of struggling Americans, taking what little people had left, plunging them further into a hole, thus taking the economy with them. Now that the Car Companies want their profit, and will forcibly take it from the American People whether we like it or not.

Bailouts are not the answer, and cutting production is also not the answer, as less product leads to higher prices to meet demand. These car companies are pink-slipping workers because they can’t make the profit per unit they want, so they cut production to rig Supply vs Demand back in their favor, leading to cars becoming too expensive for people to afford again like $40 and $50K SUVs of the 90s.

The big 3 have a obligation to yes, produce better cars, but also at increased levels to drive prices down to an affordable level so more people can buy them.

— mercuryguy (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 1:45:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4   

Someone correct me. I read somewhere that the typical autoworker for GM gets paid $75/hour, while the same autoworker at Toyota gets paid $50 (these are rough values). How does the UAW justify such a disparity? Is the GM autoworker getting paid for his/her work AND the legacy benefits of previous GM autoworkers, while the Toyota doesn’t have the same legacy costs?

If so, then a drastic GM-UAW restructured contract will affect many millions of retirees. Obama may still restructure the auto industry and use this situation to justify socialized healthcare to cover the affected people (i.e., the retirees).

I can see it now – “GM” will stand for “Government Motors” in the near future.

— hybridfarce (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 1:50:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

There is nothing wrong with the UAW provided their benefits and salary are the excact same as an auto worker from Honda,Toyota,Hyundai,Nissan and any other foreign auto maker with a factory in the US.Ford,GM,and Chrysler must must must be on an egual footing with everyone else.If the UAW cannot accept this then they should not exist.This is one huge reason that the American 3 are unable to build a small car at a profit.This is also one reason why the products for the American 3 have not been right for the market.Example-Why isn't a Chevy Cobalt the equal of a Honda Civic. Answer-Chevy would have to charge 20% more then a Civic to bring the Cobalt up to Civic quality(especially in the interior). But it goes deeper then that. For yrs now because of the quality discrepency the American 3 have been forced to either have cars sit on their lot or offer huge discounts at a loss per vehicle to get them off dealer lots.It all goes back to the costs in building a car and that get traced back to the UAW. In summary the UAW has been nothing less then a "incurable Cancer" to the American 3 automakers. An operation is in order.

— mini22 (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 2:21:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8   

It's pretty much reading greedy to me plain and simple. I went to college for 4 years, did all my studies, have a good job now that pays not even up to the 60k some of these people get entry level for doing GED required work.

I have more respect for those in trade businesses like HVAC or plumbing who went to school for a time and got licensed to do their work. But yet the pay these people get is bordering insane.

So if people in Detroit are getting paid so high for these jobs, why is Detroit a dying city? You would think people would have the money to get nice homes and the like. At least the outskirts would be nice right? I look at Detroit as I do Pittsburgh. Not to offend anyone in these cities, but they seem to be dying as they were once the big havens in the 80's and early 90's.

I'm not saying the retirees and workers dont deserve wages and healthcare. But at what cost? I don't see why my paycheck should go to help these people so much if they fail. They should have stayed in school and gotten different jobs. This is America, you can make whatever you want out of yourself and anyone who says otherwise is either lazy, cheap, or just foolish.

Back on topic. To Janizary, you are assuming that an executive is working 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year. I can guarantee you that an executive person puts in well over the standard 40 a week and is not a 9-5 person. Therefore the salary would be in the $200-250k range. But I am not talking about the CEO of GE or Apple. I am talking about the average executive for a company, a guy like the one who runs my office in CT for my international company. He makes probably that much a year.

Me out of college starts at $42k a year, a 9-5 job would run me $20-$25 an hour (not counting health and 401k and taxes taken out). These guys walk into the building, get trained and put on a line and make 3-4 times what I do right off the belt, no college degree. And they sit and get greedy for more, and are guaranteed 95% salary if they are laid off. I wish I had that guarantee that I was going to get 95% of my salary if I was let go. Sadly I would have to walk to the unemployment labor office, apply for it, and then get an adjusted mean paycheck.

So with these people making sooooo much an hour. They can easily afford their own personal insurance without the help of the company. Even if they had to shell out say a max of $500 a month for decent coverage out of pocket. These guys make almost $3,000 a week!!! $500 is pocket cash at that wage. And if they are spending it on nonsense, then serves them right for not budgeting. And if they buy too many cars or too big of a house, serves them right again for trying to live beyond their means.

I am not chastizing anyone working for an auto company, but the auto union as a whole is corrupt and full of greed no matter how you look at it. Nobody is caring for the company they work for because they are protected with this big cush

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 2:37:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

cushy UAW. So they don't seem so worried right now about it failing because to them "hey, the rest of the US will foot the bill." Well if that's the attitude they have, then screw them. They can bite me and deserve to fail.

— Whelan (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 2:44:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8   

hey 1UAW...you have been listening too long to the propaganda of your union leadership too long....and now it may cost you!! they are politicians too and dont think for a minute that they have your well being in mind.
how many industries do we know of that have retirees living a lavish life???? anyone??? does this make sense to anyone here???? i hate to wish unemployment for anyone in these time but this union may deserve what they have coming to them.
time to write to our politicians again.

— skippee (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 3:00:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

Doctors and Nurses are imported so why not cars, greater than 60 % of doctors and nurses in USA are “imported” from other countries; contrary to France were 93% of French doctors graduated from a France medical school. If we are not spending the money to provide the USA with superior doctors or nurses trained here in the USA why spend it on mediocre cars.

— topneuro (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 3:35:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Not all union crafts are useless. Unions in some trades actually produce a better product, faster, and with not so much as a fingerprick onfile(forcing them to trash recordables is one of the perks).

However, on a construction site I used to work at, this one union guy got paid almost $50/hr to drive a bus all day long. And it wasn't even a bus; it was a Ford E class van. In one month he racked up nearly 400 hours. That's a monsterous payday!!! And to top it off, he would have gotten another 2 months out of that gig had he not complained when we told him he had to drive a larger commuter van for only about 60hrs a week.

And, you can't just take Low Income Joe and put him on that bus; noooooooo, that'd be too easy. You have to get a waiver for Low Income Joe to be a van driver(if you're lucky enough to get one), the you still pay Low Income Joe his wage, but then you have to pay all of the same fringes you were paying for Lazy Joe Van Driver, to the (you guessed it) UNIONS.

Even more absurd was the fact that these guys could show up only during the overtime hours, and ge paid overtime. They didn't even have to work the first 8 hours of straighttime. Some would show up at 3pm make overtime, then leave and come back that night for more overtime. g*dhelpyou if they work over 8 hours in a day because everything after that is overtime. They could even just come in on Sunday and make doubletime all day long, having not worked the entire week.

Crap like this really makes Unions look bad.

— Bmw8ter (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 6:04:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

Like the UAW are in any position to negotiate.

UAW, you are worthless crap!!!

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 6:00:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

This is disgusting how does the UAW have any say? and how dare they suggest that we must pay for their mistakes. i love fords but it isnt our mess its theres

— vvelez (View Profile)

Posted on 11/18/2008 10:48:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

My question for anyone on this site what do YOU KNOW about the UAW and its contract with the BIG 3 that is REALLY fact?

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 4:16:42 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I think everyone is jumping on the UAW for the wrong reasons. UAW president's point was that the govt. put no conditions on the banks and insurance companies they bailed out and no employees of those institutions had to go to jail, take pay and pension cuts, even though most of those employees played a major role in sending the worlds economy down the toilet. The UAW didn't cause this meltdown, why are they singled out? They only needed money to help pay for retirees and pensions because the current economy isn't allowing detroit to sell enough vehicles to cover those costs. Sounds reasonable to me.

I didn't see any ridiculous demand on the UAW's part, only a stupid remark like this "We recognize that President-elect Obama campaigned on a platform that included increases in fuel economy and the production of plug-in hybrids, as well as assistance to the auto industry to ensure that the vehicles of the future are produced in this country. The UAW is looking forward to working with the Obama administration and the next Congress to help achieve these objectives."
What does the UAW know about building plug-in hybrids and what kind of power do they wield that would force Detroit to build fuel efficient cars and why would they want to build them here?

— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 4:31:11 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

OK I'll throw in for this. What is interesting is that the UAW is literally willing to cut off it's nose to spite it's face. So they are telling us in reality that they would rather stay at current pay rate until the doors close and lose ALL jobs rather than make concessions to extend the possibility of work. Good call. This is not the industrial revolution here Union guys, and while you 'protect' those employees in job banks the reality is when this goes away there will BE NOTHING LEFT FOR YOU. Funny, have a look at Gung Ho, I mean come on art imitates life like 20 years later.

On another note, are there any enthusiasts out there that absolutely can;t stand these relics from the Senate discussing an industry they know nothing about? Greenhouse gases, what about PZEV vehicles that NO ONE cared about. Hybrid? Come on anyone in the know understands that this is a band-aid at best and the real pursuit of alternative technologies includes diesel, fuel cell and full electric vehicles. Toyota has invested heavily in a technology that relies heavily on archaic batteries and when they finally have to ask for help to dispose of all of those dead, non-recyclable batteries the other shoe will certainly drop on the environmental greenies collective heads.

Finally, the domestics are certainly paying for past sins and the notion that they suckled at the profitability of trucks and SUV's is certain; but this is the demand that was driven by the American consumer. Think 90's people, no one bought small cars so why would you invest in that segment? Not smart, and since many ignoramuses think that cars can be developed and brought to market instantly then fine - the domestics were asleep at the wheel. But the darling of the industry Toyota has recently developed a bigger displacement, heavier versions of the Tundra, Sequoia & Land Cruiser in the past 12 months, were they asleep at the wheel as well?

The domestics need to right size for sure and get rid of several 'appendage brands' but this still reflects a significant loss of jobs in both the union and supplier communities. The losses are coming...and they'll come across the board.

— THESCOOTER (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 6:52:06 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Discuss all we want. In the end, Execs were asleep at the wheel, UAW very demanding and does not produce quality because they rely on their contracts and benefits etc. American car buyers don't like to buy American cars and now, Recession. IMO, let the big 3 declare bankruptcy, close plants, sell assets, sell some brand names, remove UAW, hire new workers the old fashioned way or simply automate, merge the big three to become 1 or just 2, limit platform designs to s m l for cars and trucks alike, and hope for the best.

— woood (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 9:11:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

AGIAN ALL NEW HIRES FOR THE LAST YEARS AT GM MAKE $15/HR AND HAVE ALMOST NO HEALTH INSURANCE. This was worked out during GM's turnaround which created a lot of great units that are being produced tody from the Malibu to the new CTS, which was working up until the credit crunch. Its not that we cant produce and SELL great cars becuse we are neck to neck with Toyota in units moved. The credit crunch has the entire industry in a choke hold.

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 10:59:03 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

$15 a hour to work the assembly line is stil too much in my opinion. It's not that hard is it? Do you really think you deserve more than that??/ People working at a Costco or Sams work harder. Hell the Indian at Dunkin Donuts at 6am works harder than most UAW workers !!

I understand the fact that if the big three don't get help, it's going to hurt a ton of people that work directly for them, but all all the satalite companies that produce things for them.

I'd say help them, BUT, take away ALL bonuses, put a cap on income for anyone in management, produce cars that people want, not what's cheap to make, and stop the bullshit spending !! No more useless ads, everyone know's the brands... Stop overpricing your cars to show a "discount" too, your shooting yourselves in the foot. If you have to discount a vehicle $6,000, guess what, it's $6,000 too much....

There is a reason the WORKERS at Toyota told the UAW to pound sand, they don't want anything to do with them !!!

— AMiodynski (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 11:49:48 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

It's not that hard to push buttons and use robots for the most part.....

— AMiodynski (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 2:56:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I studies Automotive Technology and been to several plants. Most of the time, it's a machine/robot doing all the hard work now. The UAW was crying that the work was "too hard" so they brought in the robots to do the hard stuff, now the UAW is mad about that. UAW= Failure

— AMiodynski (View Profile)

Posted on 11/19/2008 2:58:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I guess the UAW "told us" who will be footing their retirees pension and health insurance. UAW ButtHeads!! Their mentally has always been workers first. They think their doing us a favor by supposely re-negotiating their contracts recently. Listen up UAW folks: as far as I'm concerned I wish we could fire all of you like President Reagan did with those air traffic controllers. Then we'd hire some real skilled workers who would enjoy making approximately $42 dollars per hour compared to your almost $76 dollars per hour average (including benefits per unit). I'll stay with my German and Japanese cars I've always bought for the past 30 years. UAW - who needs 'em anyway!

— gkearns56 (View Profile)

Posted on 11/20/2008 6:10:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Let them fall. Why should I be forced farther into poverty just so they can have the benefits I can't even afford myself?

— 2007Tahoe (View Profile)

Posted on 11/20/2008 8:37:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Man I don't understand why the UAW gets such a bad rap.

Oh wait. It's an antiquated system run by bullies who are as short-sided as they are self-centered.

Nevermind.

— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 11/21/2008 11:33:36 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Once again a lot of hate upon the Union, but NO ONE can tell me what our last deals with the Big 3 contains because evryone is complaining about somthing they realy have no clue about, instead of taking the time to learn how the UAW and GM's relationship has evolved.

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 11/22/2008 7:59:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1