another interesting UAW/Big 3 article

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Oct 22, 2005 | 08:46 AM

#16

SSbaby

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Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 3,123

From: Melbourne, Australia

Re: another interesting UAW/Big 3 article

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_willis

Has anyone in America ever considered that just maybe,... some of the auto makers woes are self inflicted by the way management runs the plant? I work at the Hummer H2 plant in the maintenance department. I see WASTE and WASTEFUL DECISIONS every day. We call this stuff to management's attention and it falls on deaf ears. America, please don't blame the UAW for all of the Big 3's problems. It's not all about wages and benefits.

A bit of both... when the Big 3 were making hay the UAW wanted a big piece of the pie. Could they all not see how insurmountable the pension/health bill would become?

The Big 3 made have some silly decisions both on product and labour agreements. The Japanese automakers are more professionally run.

Oct 22, 2005 | 09:36 AM

#17

MichiganSkip

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Joined: Jul 2000

Posts: 993

From: Three Oaks MI

Re: another interesting UAW/Big 3 article

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissedShift

Allowing your workers to earn significantly more than the work they put in is worth is economical suicide as well. Its a fact that if the same work can be done cheaper elsewhere, it WILL be done elsewhere.

The only way out I see for the UAW is a change in their core philosophy, to support the company on quality and efficiency. If union bosses continue to tell the rank and file that they'll get this all worked out with negotiations, Im afraid their days are numbered.

Why is it we never discuss the wages and benefits of the upper management? Why is it that when things get crazy , we always mention the production workers and how overpayed they are? Why is it that when concessions are discussed, management never says "we will also lead the way by taking concessions too"??
Why? Why? Huh? Huh?

Oct 22, 2005 | 11:05 PM

#18

90rocz

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Joined: Feb 1999

Posts: 2,947

From: Springfield,OH. U.S.A.

Re: another interesting UAW/Big 3 article

Quote:

R377: So out of those 24,000 Delphi workers that are facing wage cuts, how many buy a new car every year? How many of them buy a domestic car? Let's see, this might cause the big-3 to lose, oh, 10,000 sales per year at the very most.

Yes I know there are ripple effects throughout the economy. But using this argument as a reason to not reduce wages is ridiculous. A company would never gain enough in sales and profits to offset the higher wages.

The problem with your argument is; this is NOT and Isolated incident. This has become the trending manufacturing philosophy of the Nation.
So take those 10K sales here, and multiply that by at least 10 times....

Yeah, I know, the quality issues of the Domestic "Disposible" vehicle philosophy...Like if they make a car too good it will hurt future sales or something...
We ARE getting better, gaining ground as a whole, surpassing with some offerings.
But, how many people have been crapped on, fired or laid off many times by Domestic brand manufacturers and their suppliers? Now, feeling betrayed, have turned to purchase Imports to let their vioce be heard, retirees included. Or have had to nearly go to court to get a car repaired under warantee. Look at the recent "Lemon Laws", why did we need'em??

Integrity fella's....

Short term vision, pleasing investors, and greed and have just about sealed our fate.
Someone needs to make a shift and revolutionize the industry, whoever does it first will practically own the market...but as brand lines get blurrier everday, there's little chance of that happening.

Quote:

MissedShift :
Allowing your workers to earn significantly more than the work they put in is worth is economical suicide as well. Its a fact that if the same work can be done cheaper elsewhere, it WILL be done elsewhere. .

That's my point exactly. If that's as far as they can see when making decisions, there's little hope for the future, except for that CEO's immediate promotions...

Quote:

MissedShift :
The only way out I see for the UAW is a change in their core philosophy, to support the company on quality and efficiency. If union bosses continue to tell the rank and file that they'll get this all worked out with negotiations, Im afraid their days are numbered.

In fact they have been doing that for some time now, I know, I work in the Auto industry. But, you're right, the "Core Philosophies" of the UAW and Corporate America both need to be brought into the New Millineum, NOT PUT BACK INTO THE "SWEAT SHOP" DAYS.....

Last edited by 90rocz; Oct 23, 2005 at 12:22 PM.

Oct 22, 2005 | 11:09 PM

#19

90rocz

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Joined: Feb 1999

Posts: 2,947

From: Springfield,OH. U.S.A.

Re: another interesting UAW/Big 3 article

You know, the UAW should've came back with the same argument for Upper Management, as they used on Line Assemblers..
"Your job isn't worth 1.5M+Millions in bonuses+millions in Stock Options, fire one of you and take that money and Open another Plant!!!"......

Pay me $1.5 Million for one year, and I'll work for years for $1/yr...PLUS, give up ALL of my health insurance...

Oct 23, 2005 | 09:40 AM

#20

guesswhoo

Registered User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 248

Re: another interesting UAW/Big 3 article

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissedShift

The only way out I see for the UAW is a change in their core philosophy, to support the company on quality and efficiency..

The problem here is the company. Where the workers care dearly about quality, The company still cares about quantity. When the company strives to cheapen costs quality is going down with it.

Think of it like this for an example. "Ford, "run it" is Job1"

The other piece of the pie is this, Pay. They can easily justify paying the line workers what they do. Its the pension and healthcare that is what really is hurting them. Being a company that is so old and large is its major downfall.

Then we can still come back to arguing the product stinks etc..