What's up with the UAW?

Question

They are threatening strikes against Chrysler and did go on strike against GM a while ago.

Meanwhile, American car companies are losing money and can't stay afloat.

I wonder, how many UAW strikes have been threatened at the Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Hyundai plants in America? You know, the companies actually making money and selling cars?

Oh, they don't have unions? And their workers are happy? All working together? Why is that?

Unions were great when they pulled American workers up. Now, they just drag them down.

And then they cry when they get outsourced. Idiots.

Answer 1

With any luck they'll all just be fired. Then they can come crawling back for their jobs.

First, their jobs are going overseas because their contract blackmail has driven up their wages to a ridiculous point. Honestly, how much should you expect to get paid to twist a wrench on an assembly line? It's unskilled labor that a trained monkey could do and they want $50K+ for it? (Sure they work long hours doing boring monotonous and sometimes strenuous tasks, but then I was always told that's the kind of job that awaits you when you opt out of college.) Unions are the primary cause of US manufacturing jobs going overseas.

Second, since when is it your employer's responsibility to provide health insurance for you? Employer provided/subsidized health insurance started out in the early part of this century as a way for employers to attract employees in a tight labor market. It was a *fringe* benefit. Now all of a sudden we've made it a requirement (in some case, legally). Why is it an employer's job to provide your health insurance? That's YOUR responsibility. Their responsibility is to provide you a safe working environment, a non-discriminatory and harassment-free culture, and monetary compensation for the work you perform, nothing more, nothing less.

Third, Union members never even stop to consider that their ridiculous labor contracts financially hurt the corporations employing them and thus jeopardize all their jobs. They don't have the common sense to realize that if their company isn't profitable that none of them will have jobs at all. The primary reason for the existence of a business is to make money. The primary reason for the existence of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders. That's Business 101. If you can't help to make sure the organization you work for is profitable and successful, then you deserve to go bankrupt with them.

Fourth, Union members loyalty is for the union they belong to instead of the company they work for. What company can survive with employees like that? When your plant closes and you're standing in line at the unemployment office, then I'm guessing a pay cut followed by a profitable quarter for your company isn't so bad when compared to a strike followed by a pay raise followed by a bankruptcy or closure.

Finally, America's economy has been shifting away from manufacturing and toward the service industry (financial services, information services, etc.) for a couple of DECADES now. Anyone looking to pursue a career in manufacturing in the US is delusional and foolish. Those manufacturing jobs are leaving the US *permanently* and will *never* return. Rather than whining about it, why don't you go get some education and training in something that has a future in this country? It's the natural evolution of economics as a country moves forward to shift away from blue collar jobs to white collar jobs.

Answer 2

Wait a minute,Toyota does have at least 2 plants in the US that are UAW and in Japan they do have labor unions.The reason most transplants in the US don't have unions is because they pay the same as GM,Ford and Chrysler just to keep the unions out.So if all the unions just went away guess what would happen?I work at Toledo Jeep Wrangler Assembly plant and they are asking the engineers to work 60 work weeks for 40 hours pay,guess what?They all wish they were union now.I don't agree with the union about everything, but they do help support ALL WORKERS wages not just the UAW members wages.As for Toyota's profit,they import half of all the vehicles they sell in the US.They make a profit of $4000 average per vehicle from the artificially undervalued yen,the Japanese government and Toyota work together to keep the yen undervalued.This gives them over 1 billion of profit just from the import of vehicles to the US,while the US automakers have to fight the Japanese government to import vehicles to Japan.As for wages,the UAW took a wage freeze in 2003 and again this year.Actually they took a $1 per hour pay cut to pay for health coverage which was reduced.I have yet to see a CEO take a pay cut.

Answer 3

No. i do no longer in basic terms like the merger with Fiat. we merged with Mercedes and all they did became rape us for mini-van and SUV systems. i've got self belief that Fiat will do an analogous. have they have been given any SUV's or Mini-autos? the recent Mercedes GLK, the small SUV, is in basic terms a complex Cruiser. i will no longer be able to have self belief that Chrysler is going to renounce manufacturing of the PT. I very own one now and owned yet another one. I truthfully have owned Chrysler's on account that 1968. i do unlike what's taking place yet i haven't any recommendations. Chrysler does not have any small autos or hybrids. GM has too lots of an analogous autos(Suburban, Denali and Escalade). They screwed me on the Crossfire(which became a foul Mercedes,no longer a powerful Chrysler). I very own a BMW Z4, too. the subject is that companies like Honda and BMW have been motorcycle companies as previous due with the aid of fact the 50's and 60's. they don't have historic value like GM and Chrysler. it is the UAW supply backs, which i'm no longer too prepared on. historic fees are retirees and wellbeing care. how lots of people who labored for Honda or BMW are out on pension? Chrysler and GM went bankrupt in 1970 whilst that they had extra human beings out on pension than became engaged on the manufacturing unit. It have been given worse with the aid of fact the corporate modernized with computers and robots. with any luck, Chrysler will make a motor vehicle for me back.

Answer 4

As an ex union official ..back in the day!! I agree that unions have out lived their use fullness and are a drag on the economy!! Business has to stay profitable in order to give jobs to the populace!! no jobs=welfare

Answer 5

The behavior of unions is outright disgraceful these days. All they do is protect the workers right to slack off and collect $ for it.

Answer 6

I agree 100%. They no longer seve any purpose in this country.