GM suspends big-truck orders

[Muscle Master]

Things starting to heat up for GM

GM suspends big-truck orders

UAW strikes GM's Malibu plant in Kansas

Comments:

[The_Blur]

The truck cancellation is timely. The Malibu strike is just another worker strike. I'm getting sick of hearing about these. Why are they only striking against GM? This is ridiculous. I understand the need to protect their jobs, but why is GM the only automaker worthy of striking? Doesn't Ford routinely lay off hundreds of American workers as well?

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by The_Blur

The truck cancellation is timely. The Malibu strike is just another worker strike. I'm getting sick of hearing about these. Why are they only striking against GM? This is ridiculous. I understand the need to protect their jobs, but why is GM the only automaker worthy of striking? Doesn't Ford routinely lay off hundreds of American workers as well?

every corperation goes through these things

[The_Blur]

Originally Posted by Muscle Master

every corperation goes through these things

So why is GM now the union's bitch over the past month? They do great work and earn every benefit and dollar paid, but they are losing my utmost respect for their sacrifices. If everyone strikes against GM at the same time, then GM cannot possibly offer them all what they want at once. It's bad for GM because it inhibits competition; it's bad for the unions because GM has limited resources and cannot sacrifice everything for their workers. If anyone has a right to strike, it's the hard-working employees of this country, but there needs to be a line drawn here. If I were a GM head right now, I'd consider closing one of these plants to show that business is priority one. Without good business, these workers don't have a job anyway, so these Malibu and truck strikers need to realize that they are impeding the production of GM's bread-and-butter vehicles. If they want to keep making what they make now, then maybe they should share GM's corporate goals instead of obstructing them.

No, I am not anti-worker. In fact, I'm far more moderate than this post would have you believe, but this striking is why domestic companies move overseas. Not only is the labor cheaper, but the work is constant, unobstructed by demanding strikes. They need to realize how expendable they are.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by The_Blur

So why is GM now the union's bitch over the past month? They do great work and earn every benefit and dollar paid, but they are losing my utmost respect for their sacrifices. If everyone strikes against GM at the same time, then GM cannot possibly offer them all what they want at once. It's bad for GM because it inhibits competition; it's bad for the unions because GM has limited resources and cannot sacrifice everything for their workers.

Two things, First: American Axle strikes aren't directly against GM. But I still get you're point - GM's getting hit on all sides it seems

Second: In a perverted way, the fact that the Union strikes against GM first, and not Ford or Chrysler is a compliment to the General. They do it because GM is the leader of the three. If a deal can be struck with GM, the Union is can expect Ford and Chrysler to fall in line using the same deal for their contracts.

Originally Posted by The_Blur

If anyone has a right to strike, it's the hard-working employees of this country, but there needs to be a line drawn here. If I were a GM head right now, I'd consider closing one of these plants to show that business is priority one. Without good business, these workers don't have a job anyway, so these Malibu and truck strikers need to realize that they are impeding the production of GM's bread-and-butter vehicles. If they want to keep making what they make now, then maybe they should share GM's corporate goals instead of obstructing them.

They fight for what they feel is fair. Usually, it's for a little more than I feel is fair - but I'm not UAW worker. I too, feel as though the Union has been getting a little strike-happy lately - it's not encouraging much support for the UAW. HOWEVER; I agree, and support the UAW guys at American Axle 100,000,000,000%. Who here would like a pay-cut of 50%? I don't care what you make; that is an INSANE expectation of anybody. [/rant]

Originally Posted by The_Blur

No, I am not anti-worker. In fact, I'm far more moderate than this post would have you believe, but this striking is why domestic companies move overseas. Not only is the labor cheaper, but the work is constant, unobstructed by demanding strikes. They need to realize how expendable they are.

: To everything. I've got nothing against Unions: but they need a little reality check. They don't have the power they once had, because management isn't trying to abuse them like back in the day when Unions were needed. But they shouldn't keep trying to flex those old muscles: it hurts.

[MerF]

After hearing about how workers in a bonafied union act...I just have a hard time feeling any sympathy.

"Hey man, can you give me a hand moving this desk to the other side of the room?"

"No." -GRIEVANCE FILED for something like working outside his prescribed job description.

Rediculous.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by MerF

After hearing about how workers in a bonafied union act...I just have a hard time feeling any sympathy.

"Hey man, can you give me a hand moving this desk to the other side of the room?"

"No." -GRIEVANCE FILED for something like working outside his prescribed job description.

Rediculous.

My father is in a Plumber's union, and has to work under those conditions. But don't believe that he likes it; it's just that sometimes such rules make things easier, and more streamlined. As unbelieveably stupid as it sounds to everybody. It minimizes everybody doing their own thing, getting in each others way and doing too much, or not enough work (think back to group-projects in school: the hard workers tend to get stuck with ALL the work, while others watch).

(I've never heard about the greivance thing, though )

[MerF]

I might have gone overboard with the grievance...lol

The rest of it was true story. A Co-worker's brother is in a factory union and tells him the stories of how these people are interested in nothing like honest work. They just know exactly how they can milk the system and typically do about 4 hours of honest labor in an 8 hour shift because of the union labor laws or whatever. His brother sounds like yours, and he hates seeing it...but he has gotten in TROUBLE for trying to just get things done because he was affecting someone else's job security (even when said person would NOT DO HIS JOB).

And GM (and the rest) are who pay the penalty for this severely outdated system that has long outlived it's usefulness in our society.

[DGthe3]

i like the idea behind unions, but they have pretty much outlived their usefulness in some industries. When import makers build a car in north america they can do it for half the cost as a domestic can. or close enough to that. perhaps if the unions reorganized themselves they could find more money to pay the workers with, or reduce the unions fees which amounts to the same thing.

the big three need to reduce their production costs. if it isn't by paying workers less, it will be by paying less workers. unions tend not to understand that, at least thats my perception of it. The UAW (and CAW) work against the big three, not with. They don't try and make changes to help become more competitive. If they walk out on a plant, they should walk into the nearest honda or toyota plant, or talk the the government about setting up some fair trade laws. japan exports 2M cars to north america, give or take. They import 0. And the UAW and CAW wonder why they are losing their jobs and being asked to take pay cuts

im done now

[fuffl]

I work at a third party logistics provider handling returnable containers for a UAW manufacturing plant here in the good ol' USA. I can honestly say my sympathy for the UAW workers has reached absolute zero. The UAW does serve a purpose, but the way they are trying to handle these issues is the equivalent of a child throwing a temper tantrum. If I can't have what I want, then I'm just gonna whine and cry and make everyone's life miserable until I get what I want. My facility is non-union and across the street from the plant. As part of the negotiation "practices" they are now urinating in the containers that come across the street to us and throwing razor blades in them.

I'm not anti-union per say, I'm just frustrated at how they don't seem to understand how they affect society as a whole. If they strike, me and my co-workers and possibly the suppliers don't get paid (no union strike fund). Furthermore, if the plant closes I lose my job.

Now I'm all good with losing my job....but if something like this impacts me getting a Camaro next March I'm really gonna get PO'd!

[stovt001]

I no longer get upset when companies outsource manufacturing overseas. With the absolute crap the unions put them through, you can't blame them at all. I'm glad American Axle had operations set up in Mexico. They can stay in business while the greedy and corrupt UAW leadership strikes all the workers jobs away. It is fairly obvious the union leadership is interested only in giving themselves a purpose to exist, not to better conditions for their workers.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by stovt001

I'm glad American Axle had operations set up in Mexico. They can stay in business while the greedy and corrupt UAW leadership strikes all the workers jobs away. It is fairly obvious the union leadership is interested only in giving themselves a purpose to exist, not to better conditions for their workers.

Really?...So, the "greedy and corrupt UAW leaders" are not interested in the well being of their workers at American Axle? Meaning...they don't care at all that management over there is asking for a 50% pay cut while the CEO just got millions of dollars in bonuses? No. American Axle is a good example of why Unions still exist: this crap does happen from time to time. The state of the American auto Industry couldn't have been worse for when their striking, though.

[Kyle2k]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Really?...So, the "greedy and corrupt UAW leaders" are not interested in the well being of their workers at American Axle? Meaning...they don't care at all that management over there is asking for a 50% pay cut while the CEO just got millions of dollars in bonuses? No. American Axle is a good example of why Unions still exist: this crap does happen from time to time. The state of the American auto Industry couldn't have been worse for when their striking, though.

YEAH REALLY, he needs another house dude...who cares if that gets their workers enough money to feed their greedy, corrupt families.

for clarification...that was sarcasm...

[stovt001]

What is better for the workers? A pay more in line with what everyone else is getting even if your CEO makes more, or no job at all and the destruction of the domestic auto industry, ending jobs for thousands of people? If the conditions are so horrible for the UAW members why don't they just go work for any of the foreign brands or their parts suppliers?