GM Workers on Strike

[Hylton]

Gm will drag this thing out until the union has no more money. Then they will close the plants.

[HEMIBEE]

they had a call in show on morning radio here in grand rapids, a GM worker called in and said he had not gone to work in 13 years and still gets his paycheck in the mail every week, Gm stopped production of a product in the plant that he worked in and the union contract states if there is not a job in his field within a 125 mile radias of his home he is able to collect his pay until they do, This guy thinks its funny, and they say GM is greedy at contract time, give me a break, I work at a union job and at times you tend to look at the union and shake your head for a severe lack of common sence, I know of several GM workers that play cards and read every day at work and collect 30+ dollars an hour plus bennies, alot of people are willing to bend but the union won't, I can understand when it comes to retied peoples benefits, they made a desision based on a promise and its going to be hard to take that back,

[427king]

My next dumb question is why not hire your own people instead of union workers?? What are the benefits for a company that hires union labor ? I suppose union workers are more skilled for the money they get than other workers? Its one thing when you get to sit around and party and get a few days off in the hopes youll get a better pay,yet another to realize that you arent going back to work when the company has had enough of the unions demands.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Well, that's a tough question, as I've been on both sides of the issue.

In many cases, companies buy other companies and essentially inherit their unions and sometimes union issues/culture, (been there). Other times, an unhappy work force 'organizes' themselves and actually starts a union where one did not exist, (been there). In my earlier example, management could have proceeded to 'break' the union and only hire non-union workers (most jobs are unskilled). However, sometimes the wiser thing to do is to continue to peacefully coexist with the existing union - management can sometimes get a different (ie; worse) union organized against them.

In a strike situation, there is always plenty of blame to go around. A wise (old) worker once told me that "companies with the worst union relationships - usually deserve them." That statement can speak volumes about effective management.

I'm not pro-union by any stretch, (not completely anti-union either), but having worked at several companies with union workforces - I can see how GM got themselves into this mess.

[PeteLeathersac]

As much as the US and Canadian Unions are on their own, we're all in it together as the parts must flow quickly between our borders especially in today's 'just in time' world of non warehousing materials..
So...even though the strike itself isn't here, the Canadian parts plants are already closing as there's nowhere to ship the parts to...the car plants in Oshawa are scheduled to stop production tomorrow...truck plant 3 days behind..

~ Pete

[kwhizz]

When Lee Iacocca came into the Chrysler/ American Motors deal (Early 80's).....The Union at American Motors Kenosha Plant had a "Cushy" set-up where the had 1 Union Steward for every seven Employee's......and one day a week after working for 1/2 hour, all the Stewards got to go into the Company Cafetera (with substitute workers taking their place) and Conduct Union Business (read drinking coffee and B.S'ing)for the rest of the day......Think about it ....losing 1/7th of your workforce for 1/5th of your week (plus paying for the replacement workers , again 1/7th of your workforce)........The Union had the "OLD" management at the AMC Plant Trained well..
Well, A New Sheriff in Town called Lee Iacocca......He gets together with the Union President and tells him that they need to come to some sort of an agreement as to where there will be 1 Union Steward for every 20 employee's........Now......The Union Guy is used to walking on Water and tell's Lee to "Stick It".....So Lee tells the Employee's that this is something very important to the Future of Automobile Assembly in Kenosha.......
About a year or two after he was told "No GO", the Employees were Lining the Streets watching the Wrecking Balls knock down the Vehicle assembly buildings.....
A couple of years ago I was in a Restaurant in town and at the table next to us was the "OLD" Union President and he was talking to another couple about the "Old" days, and he said "You know, I probably shouldn't taken such a Hard Line" about the Steward Issue, ....
They still have a Impact in Kenosha as they still produce Engines here and have about 600 employees, but the Union has really Backed Off..........

Ken

[Salvatore]

Its way more complicated than more money these days. I believe it is over benefits more than anything. In the hey day when the Big 3 were making billions and the workers were being beat up a little is when all this happened. It was very important to establish a wage and a collective bargaining agreement in those days no one had good health care and a pension plan. Remember if Detroit didn't have such things no one else around the country did either. They set the tone of the country. When the big 3 were busy the Unions demanded more and more and they got it. Starting in the 80's things got bad and slowly progressed down hill. Everybody had to do the tighten-up and I don't mean the dance. I do believe that the 2 sides made great strides to improve their working agereements with each other. Quality has come a long way and so has attitudes. There will always be people sitting around, calling out sick and just loafing at their jobs. Man....just look at one of the Nations biggest employers the Federal Govt. wow and you talk about waste!!! About health care and foreign competition in this country? I think ALL new automotive manufactures that come into this country should put a percentage into the health care plan for any automotive worker working here. Look how much the older companies have to harness with old labor agreements and old employees on pension plans. Toyota, BMW, Honda etc. I believe does not have to guarantee their employees anything. Not fair in my eyes because Detroit had to guarantee for life things to their people. If you want to make billions in this country you have to pay also. I think our car manufacturers are making money they just have to pay too much out. No one can complain about the Unions making concessions and cutting back in the last 10 years. I think they have come a long way in that dept. If it was NOT for Unions our people would have nothing and the Corporations would have it all, with no say to the people. Just look at health care and 401K/pension plane since only about 14% of the work force in this country is Union anymore. Many can't afford good healthcare and saving for retirement. IMO this great country was the strongest from the 40's till the early 80's when the Unions were a big percentage of the work force. We lead the world in everything! Besides if we all worked for $5.00 an hour at our jobs today it still would not really compete with the foreign and commmunistic labor forces in other countries. So....its a happy balance in my opinion. The American worker still and always will need a voice.

[kwhizz]

[ QUOTE ]
Its way more complicated than more money these days. I believe it is over benefits more than anything. In the hey day when the Big 3 were making billions and the workers were being beat up a little is when all this happened. It was very important to establish a wage and a collective bargaining agreement in those days no one had good health care and a pension plan. Remember if Detroit didn't have such things no one else around the country did either. They set the tone of the country. When the big 3 were busy the Unions demanded more and more and they got it. Starting in the 80's things got bad and slowly progressed down hill. Everybody had to do the tighten-up and I don't mean the dance. I do believe that the 2 sides made great strides to improve their working agereements with each other. Quality has come a long way and so has attitudes. There will always be people sitting around, calling out sick and just loafing at their jobs. Man....just look at one of the Nations biggest employers the Federal Govt. wow and you talk about waste!!! About health care and foreign competition in this country? I think ALL new automotive manufactures that come into this country should put a percentage into the health care plan for any automotive worker working here. Look how much the older companies have to harness with old labor agreements and old employees on pension plans. Toyota, BMW, Honda etc. I believe does not have to guarantee their employees anything. Not fair in my eyes because Detroit had to guarantee for life things to their people. If you want to make billions in this country you have to pay also. I think our car manufacturers are making money they just have to pay too much out. No one can complain about the Unions making concessions and cutting back in the last 10 years. I think they have come a long way in that dept. If it was NOT for Unions our people would have nothing and the Corporations would have it all, with no say to the people. Just look at health care and 401K/pension plane since only about 14% of the work force in this country is Union anymore. Many can't afford good healthcare and saving for retirement. IMO this great country was the strongest from the 40's till the early 80's when the Unions were a big percentage of the work force. We lead the world in everything! Besides if we all worked for $5.00 an hour at our jobs today it still would not really compete with the foreign and commmunistic labor forces in other countries. So....its a happy balance in my opinion. The American worker still and always will need a voice.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are "Right".......but it has to be a "Balanced" Voice..........Now!!!.......Are you coming to Vettefest???

Ken

[Salvatore]

Is that really what you wanted to ask me?

[Mr70]

I don't think this plant employs Union labor..



Still want em?