UAW local members strike at GM Lansing plant

[TJ95GAGT]

So if they have been working for the last 7months without a new contract, what have they been going by? The old contract? If so, why are they in a hurry to change it? Seems to me if a decrease in pay was on the horizon I would want to prolong it as long as possible, not strike and bring the new contract faster.

[jbartley]

i don't understand how anyone can support the union for this? anyone at a "REAL JOB" even mcdonalds...would be fired in 2 minutes for walking out...maybe they don't realize how replaceable their positions are...if only the union would dissolve itself.

[espo19047]

Originally Posted by Clownzilla

That's the way unions think. It's either their way or NOBODIES WAY! Well, I just want GM to stop dancing with the UAW and start moving production out of the country. I am tired of being a dealer employee and not getting our rare hot products because some wrench turner wants $60 and hour. Listen, I know it sounds harsh but GM needs to draw THEIR line in the sand and start moving production out out the country bit by bit until they bring the UAW to it's knees. This way, the rest of GM's non-union employees can work towards prosperity TOGETHER and let capitalism work for them (which is completely opposite of the UAW's socialist agenda).

I am a dealership employee like you but I don't like to see any manufacturing leave the Country. The competiton builds cars here so GM and the UAW need to figure this out quick. besides if they all get fired who will be buying anything? The lazy way out won't work.

[SUPERBADD75]

once again i fail to see why the union's best way to get what they want is to cripple the company that cuts their paychecks. when more production moves to Mexico it won't really matter i guess. then the taxpayers can pay your wages through unemployment and welfare. i understand the desire for fair pay, but constant strikes are ridiculous.

[skylark68]

Maybe it'll be a short strike. That's all I can hope for. Either that or right to work laws passed in all 50 states. Or 1 other option is tarriffs across the board on imported vehicles.

[gardnet1]

To bad the Spring Hill plant wasn't already up and running.

In the interim, I think that Michigan would be a great candidate for a "right to work state". That is about the only thing that will save their economy.

[Bvonscott]

Ok I usually stay out of union threads, but I thought I'd chime in.

We need to not bash union members who post on this site. I welcome them and any info they can bring to us. Same with dealership employees like myself. Obviously being in the Auto Industry we are all tied together.

Yes GM should have completed the local contract with agreement sooner. Yes the union should avoid striking at all costs. Yes for what the Union does they are well paid, but that is the going rate in their industry. I also make good money for what I do, which has ZERO physical labor involved. But that's what we are paid. Has anyone thought of it like that? That certain jobs out there make certain amounts of money no matter how others THINK it should be? I bet, let's say, MINE workers get paid about the same, and truck drivers, and all they do is DRIVE A TRUCK. No skill there either. Or train engineers. I could go on and on. There are just certain jobs in the 60-100K a year category, and lineworkers are one of them.

It's not the hourly pay rate that is the issue, it's everything else GM pays for I and many have issue with. And GM has come along way to catch up with the rest of the country. They need to stop the jobs bank. They need to end pension. They need to start 401K like everyone else. They need to have workers to partial pay for health coverage like everyone else. They need vacation and sick/holiday pay in line with everyone else. With all that, they can still pay lineworkers $28 an hour like they deserve and we can all leave it alone already.

[prowlerjc]

I remember in the eighties when Mack came to SC. Everything was great, wine and roses, yadda, yadda. Then the workers voted to go Union. Then the plant closed.

I would think the UAW would have learned from that, but I see I'm incorrect.

[lam]

Originally Posted by Bvonscott

It's not the hourly pay rate that is the issue, it's everything else GM pays for I and many have issue with. And GM has come along way to catch up with the rest of the country. They need to stop the jobs bank. They need to end pension. They need to start 401K like everyone else. They need to have workers to partial pay for health coverage like everyone else. They need vacation and sick/holiday pay in line with everyone else. With all that, they can still pay lineworkers $28 an hour like they deserve and we can all leave it alone already.

GM's pension is overfunded by over $20 billion, also new hires gets 401k.Come January 2010,GM will no longer give out healthcare with the start of VEBA, with VEBA ,healthcare will become the UAW's job.By 2011 GM's cost will be in-ine with Toyota.

[andy82471]

Originally Posted by Clownzilla

That's the way unions think. It's either their way or NOBODIES WAY! Well, I just want GM to stop dancing with the UAW and start moving production out of the country. I am tired of being a dealer employee and not getting our rare hot products because some wrench turner wants $60 and hour. Listen, I know it sounds harsh but GM needs to draw THEIR line in the sand and start moving production out out the country bit by bit until they bring the UAW to it's knees. This way, the rest of GM's non-union employees can work towards prosperity TOGETHER and let capitalism work for them (which is completely opposite of the UAW's socialist agenda).

That's the way unions think. It's either their way or NOBODIES WAY! Well, I just want GM to stop dancing with the UAW and start moving production out of the country


If GM moves production out of the country then it shouldn't use that crappy "THIS IS OUR COUNTRY" song in their ad. Either way I just want this to be resolved otherwise both GM and the UAW will face extinction. Looks like Toyota will take the No.1 crown from GM this year due to GM and the UAW's stupidity.

[Jedi]

Originally Posted by Timekeeper

You'll be drawing a lot of lines in the sand once GM closes shops altogether in the states.

Yeah, Im so sick of this union crap! Move it all out of the country. How do they expect to climb out of when you have employees that wont work. If the rest of us pulled this crap we wouldnt have jobs. They need to suck it up, they already are over paid for what they do!

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by andy82471

If GM moves production out of the country then it shouldn't use that crappy "THIS IS OUR COUNTRY" song in their ad. Either way I just want this to be resolved otherwise both GM and the UAW will face extinction. Looks like Toyota will take the No.1 crown from GM this year due to GM and the UAW's stupidity.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge........GM's been making some good products and had been on kind of a roll as of late. Think of the UAW like a little brother; an annoying ankle-biter who throws a tantrum (and slows down progress) because they can't seem to keep up.....

[CadiEldo67]

So what GM factories are producing cars these days?

[FenwickHockey65]

Dammit. Unions are becoming more and more stupid as they go...

[espo19047]

Originally Posted by SuperSS27

Actions speak louder than word at this point. Just LOOK at what the unions have done and are still doing to this countries manufacturing industry.

Well the guys who kept quiet and did not fuss at all of the takeaways down sizing and forced overtime in the manufacturing industry have been replaced already.