Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

I guess I am damm glad my Dmax is a great truck, and paid for...

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Ok. About 15-20 years ago companies started the two tiered wage, and benefit strategy. That was to leave the older workers pretty much where they were, and the new hires would come in with much lower wages, and benefits. This would lower costs, and keep them competitive in a global economy.Unions fought it pretty well for a while, but it was a loosing battle. So about 10 years ago John Deere's UAW contract bought in to keep plants from closing, and help job security. Many members felt perhaps it would help the farming industry by keeping costs more manageable.
After the contract was ratified, Deere actually raised their prices, and bought the area where the John Deere classic is now held.
I asked a local farmer who had just bought a new Deere combine how much they had discounted it.(Ia farmers are a pretty non union bunch) He said "what do you mean discount?" I said well now the new employees are makin half what they used to, and there's no company sponsored retirement, and the healthcare is 80/20. You should have got a bunch off the combine, because they were told it was all their fault the machines were so expensive. But hey, maybe the CEO will let ya play a round of golf with him on that shinny new course. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif
Unions, whether you like them or not, helped establish a high standard of living in this country. The question is, do we want to keep those standards, or bring them down to the standards in other countries?

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Sam, I was overseas for 8 years and at the time each outfit was allowed to hire under contract 2 foreigners.At the time the foreigners were made up of 99.9 Americans for three reasons. We were the best players,we would draw the biggest crowds,and it was a prestige thing for the Europeans to bring in Americans. As time went on,more and more Yugoslavians/Russians and the like were preferred as they didnt have the lavish demands Americans did,would work for 1/3 of what we would, and would work with no guaranteed contracts and a handshake instead of a contract as they were in third world countries. As tie went on, the europeans became as good as we americans and they now made up around 50% of the foreign workforce. If a company has loads of money thye can afford what they want,otherwise its a tradeoff for less prestige and ability VS cheaper labor. Same concept/ I decided rather than play without a guaranteed contract to retire and sell you guys parts https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

The PDC's are striking with everyone else so GM dealerships didn't get thier stock orders today... Thats aggravating for me since I am an outside salesman pushing parts that are going to be harder to get as the days go on... This strike has a negative effect on everyone. In a few days the body shops will have a tough time getting parts to fix that Silverado when Bambi jumps out in front of you .... LKQ is gonna sell a ton of aftermarket parts.... It is nice to have that truck paid for though isn't it https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif


Tommy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Schonyenko2:

You are exactly on point. I was actively involved in union bargaining with IBEW Local 134 and the National Electrical Contractors Association on both sides. As a member and a contractor. People love to bad rap the union employees and talk to the cost savings in non-union shops.

The reality of the situation in Chicago was that the non-union shops would usually pay their employees the same rate of pay (sometimes higher) in order to keep the employees from organizing. I used to laugh at some of these non-union folks, who simply didn't realize that union contract was driving their pay rate. Had it not been for the bargained employee rate, the non-union employees of other companies wouldn't have received half of their current rate of pay.

If you question this scenario, ask any WalMart employee in the country how they like their rate of pay or benefits. There is no union competitor or true organized labor involvement in that industry and this has become one of the most desperate situations in small town America.

Union wages in this country even drove the management wages to new heights as the promise of promotion from the ranks needed to be met with higher and higher entry level management salaries.

Just my $.02 Ed

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Union Electricians "Sit Down" when the Pee........

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Oh Oh https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

What kind of low brow comment is that? I thought this was an intelligent thread discussion. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

I agree with you Edman. Many good points. As for our Kwizz..... he may be just pickin on me! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Local news says they have an agreement. Strike is over.

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Hopefully it's over so I can get back to filling peoples needs at our dealership.4 cross-dock parts yesterday,none today.Buying parts out of Indiana,and South Carolina trying to keep them happy.Strikes suck,but I guess thats what they have to do.Never worked for one and hopefully never will.
Kendall

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

[ QUOTE ]
Union Electricians "Sit Down" when the Pee........

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh crap! I in the wrong profession. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

I didn't see any mention of keeping production in North America. The unions controlling our money/benefits. Someone had better keep a close eye on the money. It always amazes me to see people get ugly when someone makes a decent wage. A little bit of jealousy? I made decent wages for a lot of years. I, like many others, spent it locally and helped everyone around here. I'd hate to see the locally economy without the GM input. The numbers seem to show that the very rich are rapidly getting richer and the rest of us are getting poorer. Thanks to the WTO (Super rich) we are being played off agains the Chinese and others with their 25-50 cents an hour wages. The Canadian Auto Workers Union has been pushing for Fair Trade as opposed to Free Trade. When these countries want to freely sell their products here, but block our products in their market, something is wrong. The next few years are going to be interesting.

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Keith, You and Schonye say it best. NAFTA, CAFTA ??? Maybe they don't work for us https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

[ QUOTE ]
When these countries want to freely sell their products here, but block our products in their market, something is wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]
No doubt...I know I'm just a hillbilly, but that never made sense to me? Seems to me that they depend on *us* more than we depend on *them*, so shouldn't *we* have the leverage? Yet we're letting these podunk countries bend us over??

Funny story I thought of this morning about one of my best friends...this isn't to stereotype or cast the same shadow on *any* union/strike folks, but I chuckled when I thought of it. Anyway, my buddy worked over in West Plains at a factory that machined parts for military vehicles...well, every so often they'd renegotiate their contracts, and each time they'd put it to a vote among the union members to see if they wanted to strike or not. Well, each and every time my buddy and his buddies would vote to strike, because they would still get paid while they were striking, but instead of picketing they'd go cut wood, or go fishing, or just lounge around the house...the funny part of the story is, I think he said they were required to picket like a shift of 1/2 hour each, and of course the day my buddy takes his turn is the day a TV crew shows up, and out of all the hillbillies walking circles the reporter decides to talk to my buddy, who promptly tells 'em he's "enjoying his paid vacation"! Well, his union reps didn't see the humor, and he got a pretty good brow beating, but they were all back to work in a day or 2! I still give him static about him having to be the ugliest or dumbest hillbilly there, because that's who the reporter *always* chooses to interview! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Union workers usually only receive "strike pay" which is not full salary. The downtown Union officials are the ones who keep their pay. At least thats how it worked up here

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Better watch out they might have an agreement with GM that if a car gets resold a 4% fee will have to be paid to GM for any car still having their Logos on them at the time of resale. Just kidding by the way as I really dont think any company could really think they could get away with charging a users fees for something that was already on the car and paid for.

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Belair is right. You'd get strike pay which ain't all that much if you put in 4 hours of picket duty per week. My rule of thumb was ,don't buy anything you can't afford on strike pay, or unemployment, cause back in the old days, you were gonna spend some time on both.

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Well, it looks like it's over...It was actually very beneficial for the GM dealer I push parts for since he stocks several million dollars in parts, smaller dealers for hundereds of miles around needed parts and got thier stock orders from us for the last few days.. They had a great month this week..... By next week it'll be business as usuall I guess. Maybe I'll keep some of that new business https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif.



Tommy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

There you go Tommy. There is some good in everything! While I am a Union guy I still believe that all this can work for us. It is a give and take situation and most of all NO ONE should get paid for not doing their jobs! I am not a member of an in shop union. I am a member of a trade union. We get no holiday pay,sick days, time off with pay etc. If it rains or snows we go home with no pay. 8 for 8 is what the trades are all about. IBEW Local 380 has never been on strike in its history and we wouldn't get strike pay if we were. Don't know why anybody who is in the trades would not want to be a Union tradesman. We have a very good 5 year apprenticeship program that allows us to take some college courses afterwards if we want to. A very good pension and great health care which incidently comes directly out of our pay checks. The contractors guarantee nothing other than sending the money we pay back to the local union funds. Very important to work 2000 hours a year to keep our bennies paid in full! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

Now that GM doesnthave to worry about its workers for another few months,they can focus on thier other problems like Honda,Toyota,and a host of others.

Re: GM Workers on Strike
 

start with Toyota, they will all be here from around the USA for their USA 50th anv with Aerosmith as their musical guest for a private party