UAW wants limits on carmakers' executive pay

De spammed

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 9:43:49 AM | | Votes: 3   

Wow, that made my day!! Thanks so much!

— kornholio (View Profile)

Posted on 12/30/2008 3:15:14 PM | | Votes: 1   

I think it is $40 an hour to screw in that bolt.. $90 an hour is if you have to put a nut on the other end as well.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 9:47:53 AM | | Votes: 7   

@ 1UAW, you can protect your beloved UAW all you want. The reality is this, everyone needs to cut-back and live lean for awhile. I for one want to see the automotive industry thrive. That said, everyone will need to change their ways. You can keep talking shit and end up on the food line in 6 months or you can encourage the UAW to make sacrifices. Let go of this infantile "no fair" mentality and make the first step towards retaining and rebuilding this industry. The problem with Detroit is that they believe the Big 3s survival plan will come from the top down, when infact, it will flourish from the bottom up.

So, consider taking a pay cut, consider working extra hours with no overtime rate, consider re-negotiating, consider installing a performance based pay scale. Rethink your old ways. Be prepared for some moderate pain. Stop talking and do something.

— 100tnega (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 11:27:49 AM | | Votes: 3   

Actually if he indeed is a UAW advocate. He is trying to preserve what he has earned, which is a natural response from anyone.

Maybe the bigger problem is that the Detroit industry in general had built a house of cards based on the preconceived notion that by raising the standards of living for themselves they will do it for everyone.

The problem is the competition failed to maintain the status quo and Detroit started suffering an erosion of the foundation of that belief.

Rather than nip the erosion process and look to the future effects, everyone believed the house of cards would never tumble. Until now.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 9:59:58 AM | | Votes: 1   

nuetral you are correct... the others refuse to JUST LEARN abut the UAW. WHY? No one makes 100k our health care is there but not in the capacity of what it used to be. CAN ANYONE ON HERE POST THE TRUTH INSTEAD OF WHAT THIER FREIND AT WORK TELLS THEM?
Realy what you think you know about the union is totaly false and i have questioned you guys sevreal times about the last 3 three contracts we had with GM for the last 12 years and know could tell me, WHY? because you don't know. I know you guys are smatter then this, think of it like buying a car do SOME RESEARCHES find the facts before you just post what you think is going on, what you guys hear is not remotely true.

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 11:11:14 AM | | Votes: -4   

@ 1UAW, you can protect your beloved UAW all you want. The reality is this, everyone needs to cut-back and live lean for awhile. I for one want to see the automotive industry thrive. That said, everyone will need to change their ways. You can keep talking shit and end up on the food line in 6 months or you can encourage the UAW to make sacrifices. Let go of this infantile "no fair" mentality and make the first step towards retaining and rebuilding this industry. The problem with Detroit is that they believe the Big 3s survival plan will come from the top down, when infact, it will flourish from the bottom up.

So, consider taking a pay cut, consider working extra hours with no overtime rate, consider re-negotiating, consider installing a performance based pay scale. Rethink your old ways. Be prepared for some moderate pain. Stop talking and do something.

Final thought, the taxpayers don't want to support 3 executive dipshits and their C-level yes-men, they want to support the workers. If the workers can't show flexibility, I doubt the taxpayers will either.

— 100tnega (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 11:32:40 AM | | Votes: 5   

I just try to call it for what it really is. It seems to me that people are just jealous of executives' pay (in general, for all big business) and upset that a UAW worker gets good benefits.

If the public really knew what it was talking about, it wouldnt gripe about Big3 CEOs or corporate jets.. it would be griping about the oil industry and its lobbyists, or the financial industry and its $7 trillion dollar "capital injection" and debt guarantees.

However, Im very glad that the Big3 are moving away from company sponsored retirement (as are most big businesses). it is ridiculous for a company to have to pay for an army of retirees... that was the old way of doing things. This day'n'age, theres no guarantees of any company surviving from day to day much less for the next 100 yrs.

The new union agreements are solid. They shift healthcare & retirement costs away from the company... GM alone is slated to save 4-5billion/yr come 2010.

For all of you union-haters out there (and like I said.. im an engineer so I cant join a union and I probably wouldnt... ) but think about the thousands of people that Walmart & Sams club employ and treat like crap (like the poor guy who was trampled to death on black friday). Tell me how its Good for America that we lost so many good jobs to Walmart, and now the only replacement jobs are bottom feeding, menial, low-paying and degrading jobs!?!?!

How is it that Costco pays its employees well, and its employees are happy? Its not uniona, its responsible company leadership. Costco regularly sits down with its worker's representation and comes to good agreements that makes everyone happy. Since Walmart is a corporation bent only on profits "right now", they dont care about any workers whatsoever. Maybe the UAW should "diversify" its employer base.... to the real corporate raiding monsters in America.

When will America wake up and realize that the cheapest isn't always the best? When will America realize that imports are bad for America... since over the past 5 yrs or so, Detroit has made a 180 degree turnaround (just look at the product offerings)!!

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 11:36:36 AM | | Votes: -4   

100tnega,

I agree.. we all are going to have to make sacrifices to get through this financial mess that we're all in..

But we need to support AMERICAN companies who actually do something for America... unlike the criminals on wall St. who could give two rats as**s if the crap hits the fan. They'll just take their hundreds of millions and go to the Bahamas...

Congress should give the Big3 a loan of $50 or even $100 billion, and make sure that the liberal know-it-all states (California...cough cough) can't pass any more ridiculous emissions and fuel economy legislation, period. Its stupid over-regulation that hurts automakers so much.

Give the Big3 the money the need, watch the hell out of them to make sure money isnt being wasted (which it really isnt nowadays), re-negotiate deals and make sure that American companies are on top for the future. The R&D is there, the product lineup is there, the powertrains are there... Detroit just needs more cash to get through the BS financial times were in right now.

Also... Maybe its time GM got its hands on Chrysler... As much as I like the Ram... GM holding onto only the minivan and the Jeep line would be good... my opinion only though.. It would be very dangerous move though...

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 11:46:55 AM | | Votes: -2   

Even if the antiquated union system is not a major factor of the big 3's current woes (hint: it is), we will likely never know.

The UAW's claws are so firmly around the necks of the domestics that they will likely still be there when the doors are locked and the windows are shuttered on all their plants.

Unions might sound like a good idea at first. But when you factor in things like unequal benefits for union members, the lack of choice that comes from being in a union, and the fact that the union makes the company financially unstable, they sure don't sound as nice.

— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 11:50:30 AM | | Votes: 3   

SO NO ONE KNOWS JUST A LOT OF HATE I SEE WHERE ARE YOUR FACTS?

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 12:53:07 PM | | Votes: -4   

Here's a fact, your ass will be on welfare in less than 6 months if you guys don't change your ways. Another fact is that I'll be that dick driving off without having flipped you a quarter for washing my windshield with your shower squeegee and remnants of your UAW sweater.

Here's the deal, look for the facts later. You can finger point after you're living comfortably again. Radically modify your ways and you will affect change from the bottom up.

— 100tnega (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 1:22:18 PM | | Votes: 6   

Whatthe,

"Can't wait until you and your friends are part of that 6% unemployment number."

What the hell is wrong with you, you sick jerk.

I can't wait until the union workers are unemployed too... then my precious taxdollars (which no one seems to care about unless its about a loan to the Big3) can go to feeding the masses of unemployed.

I hope you and yours go in the unemployment line and go hungry and cold this winter.

Next time think about what you are saying.. theres a lot of cold, hungry, desperate AMERICANS out there who'd like to take you out back and teach you the respect your parents never did.

Portenteous Prick.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 3:05:43 PM | | Votes: -4   

Whatthe,

show me the spreadsheets and data. Cmon now... you seem to have all the answers. Show me the exact numbers and how they work out. Do you have the research? Do you have the data? Do you work for the Big 3 or their suppliers?

Put your money where you mouth is. You talk about meaningless dribel? How about you and your personal attack on UAW1!?!

Get a grip on yourself.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 3:49:43 PM | | Votes: -1   

And im NOT in a union nor would I be, but the fact that the Big3 have supported their employees with the benefits that they have SAVES America money.

When was the last time a Big3 retiree was beggind for more Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security/pension, etc? I don't call that socialism. Sure the UAW may have gotten way too much in the past.. but the past is the past, nothing you can do about it. Still its the opposite of socialism if a company provides healthcare for its workers and doesnt rely on the government.

Lets spill about the "superior" Japanese firms... how efficient they are... thanks in no small part that they don't have anywhere near the legacy costs because the Japanese government takes care of retirement and health care.

Would you like socialized retirement & healthcare? That would take a massive burden off of business in the US...

Cant have your cake and eat it too.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 3:57:16 PM | | Votes: -2   

Whatthe,

Let's analyze your comments from a phsycological standpoint. Rather than come up with real points and arguments, you've decided to use childish antics like "don't get your panties in a bunch" and "you need a timeout".

You cannot seriously expect anyone to believe you are anything more than a kid. My 21 yr old brother who is by no means mature and worldly would even have to laugh at your pathetic attempt to make a viable argument and then resort to trying to bait me into a name calling match.

Read some facts before you start namecalling. Your arguments above dont make consistent sense. You talk about how happy you are to see hardworking Americans in unemployment lines (invariably a drain on our government) but at the same time, you are calling company sponsored healthcare socialist.

Am I the only person who sees an inconsistency here?

Comrade.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/1/2008 4:26:41 PM | | Votes: 0   

You can't be serious... you get your automotive information from the news....... you must be kidding.

So lets pretend I had no knowledge about the auto industry (lets say I live in California and my rich daddy gave me a Lexus LX470, so Im saving the environment since its foreign)

I would think:

1) Detroit makes crappy cars that fall apart like they did in 1987.

2) Detroit is full of a bunch of evil polluters who together with the oil companies, want to rid the world of oil and pollute. (Detroit and big oil have invested lots of money in fighting captain planet too)

3) Detroit forced americans to buy SUVs (I actually heard this B.S. on tv)

4) Buying Asian cars is great because every asian car gets over 40mpg and lasts for at least 300,000miles with no problems

5) UAW members all drive escalades and are fat, lazy and stupid. They get paid to sit around and hit a nail twice an hour.

6) Detroit has no new products and everything they build is of poor quality, ugly design, and poor fuel economy.

7) Detroit factories are from World War 2 and havent been upgraded since (funny how GM took 11 of 20 most efficient auto factories in north america last year)

and the list goes on and on and on.

You want to seriously back up your claims against detroit, then show me REAL data and information. Show me exactly how much it costs to build a malibu, show me how much it costs to run the factories. Show me how much it costs for R&D (and at that point, show me the masssive losses GM and most other manufacturers have incurred trying to make "cars that people want" ie hybrids).

I hear all sorts of random "CNN and Foxnews said it so it must be true" garbage from so many people on this site. Jeez.

Remember, the US media was the same media outlets that bought the BS story from the Bush administration about WMD's in iraq..... and the US public was the same bunch of gullible citizens who believed it.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/2/2008 9:24:20 PM | | Votes: -1   

gkearns,

You my friend are making the idiotic comments. Whoop-tee-do, you had a relative in the UAW, now you're an expert on the auto industry. Guess what, I don't have any connection to the UAW, like Ive said before, my family & friends are all non-union and Im an engineer, so Im non-union.

Take a big wild guess why the transplant automakers pay their workers a good wage with decent benefits? Because they wanted to keep the UAW out of their factories, plain and simple. In effect, the workers at the Japanese & Korean plants in the USA can be happy that the Big3 and their workers have fought the battle over compensation.

Why do you think workers at Hyundai and Toyota plants resist UAW efforts to unionize them? Because of some moral idealism that they shouldn't be in a union?!? You cannot be serious! They won't unionize because they have it too good to bring in what could potentially hurt their company. And the company in turn, pays them a good wage to keep the union out. Its cyclical.

If you are so short sighted to think that the only problem facing the Big 3 is the unions, maybe you should do some more research. Problem #1 (for all automakers) is the collapse of the economy. It's not SUV's or lack of green vehicles, its not quality, blah blah blah. Simply put, congress failed to stop oil speculation, then failed to watch the crooks on wall st.

UAW was dealt with over a year ago. Get over yourself.

Think of it this way... if there was no threat of UAW or unions in the USA, do you really think the Asian manufacturers would pay their workers what they do? Health care would be a band-aid, dental care would be a toothbrush, and a fair wage would be $6/hr.

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 12/2/2008 9:12:39 PM | | Votes: -1   

Keep in mind that European Unions dwarf that of American Unions. They are a huge political force in Italy, France and Germany. Do you expect anything else from such Liberal/Socialistic countries?

The difference between the 2? Germany, Italy, France have been subsidizing their auto makers for decades.

No... I do not support outright govt support of US automakers..... though this situation, unfortunately, may be an exception.

— kablaam (View Profile)

Posted on 12/5/2008 12:34:12 AM | | Votes: 1   

You have no choice. Even w/o a physical bailout, the workers will be forced into Unemployment, possibly welfare, medicaid etc.

Those workers that did not find another job will probably foreclose on their houses, cars, CC debt. They will not buy discretionary items, keep in mind our economy is consumer based(2/3 of GDP).

We will all pay for the mistakes of the few.

— kablaam (View Profile)

Posted on 12/5/2008 12:30:13 AM | | Votes: 1