[FenwickHockey65]

SHaron Terlep / The Detroit News

General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers union, after nearly six months of negotiations, have struck a deal on the issue of which factory jobs will get bumped down to a lower wage rate, union and company officials said today.

A national labor deal signed last fall between the union and automaker calls for a second tier of lower-paid hourly workers at GM's U.S. factories.

New hires whose job falls into the lower tier will make about half the $28 an hour wage earned by existing workers.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/AUTO01/804040442

 

[MrMax]

And there goes 1/4 of the middle class and the rights of the working man...

 

[lam]

And there goes 1/4 of the middle class and the rights of the working man...

It looks like some one would like a dead GM over a GM that can compete with Toyota.

 

[2648562]

^^Toyota workers in Japan make more than UAW members in this country. It's the COST of health care that's hurting GM, and the rest of this country, so badly.

 

[lam]

^^Toyota workers in Japan make more than UAW members in this country. It's the COST of health care that's hurting GM, and the rest of this country, so badly.

The cost of Healthcare is no longer a factor come 2010 with VEBA.GM has now close the wage gap with Toyota's U.S workers.GM has got its cost in line with Toyota come 2010-2011.

 

[NfamousZ24]

I just hope now GM can focus a little more with IUE-CWA I am tired of waiting. We still don't have a National let alone a local agreement.

Also I got in the mail a Certified letter with my Attrition Program papers. We have a 45 day timeline if we want to take the buyout. I only get $70k so it is a no for me. I don't think that I would do it for $140k.

 

[MrMax]

It looks like some one would like a dead GM over a GM that can compete with Toyota.

I'll admit I don't know the details of the deal. But...

The UAW didn't create the terrible products that got GM into this situation. And keep in mind, GM signed these contracts when they were doing well and could afford to. Which supports the theory, that had management decided to invest the necessary resources into having new products that were consistently segment leading, or competitive at the very least, $30hr would still sound just fine. But...

Management didn't decide to invest in the company's future like that did they?

 

[Buick City]

And there goes 1/4 of the middle class and the rights of the working man...

Then maybe the "working man" should'nt expect to be in the middle class by sweeping the floors in a plant. You have to work for what you expect to get payed. Everyone should'nt expect the same amount for different jobs. The smart thing to do would to enroll in some sort of community college or something and get an education. Then they can earn that decent paying middle class job like everyone else in the real life world.

 

[lineworker]

Then maybe the "working man" should'nt expect to be in the middle class by sweeping the floors in a plant. You have to work for what you expect to get payed. Everyone should'nt expect the same amount for different jobs. The smart thing to do would to enroll in some sort of community college or something and get an education. Then they can earn that decent paying middle class job like everyone else in the real life world.

Come on! IGNORANT OR ARROGANT?

 

[63GrandSport001]

In an era where wages are going down another drop in wages is only going to help our economy go into the depression that we are slowly entering......

 

[YupYupYup]

What pisses me off is the union is always in line for all those "profit-sharing" checks when the company is doing well, saying they are a part of its success, but when the company is not doing well you do not see them offeringt o lower wages, etc. It always management's fault. Sorry, but if you are going to share in the good times because "you helped build it" then sdhare in the bad times too. Otherwise you will never get the respect of me or most other Americans.

It is interesting to see the union accept drastic pay cuts...Really shows they have lost their bargaining clout.

 

[YupYupYup]

In an era where wages are going down another drop in wages is only going to help our economy go into the depression that we are slowly entering......

This has absolutely nothing to do with "depression." Honestly, some people really need to go to an economics class...take a little statistics...And maybe some finance...And then you might see the bigger picture. I am always amazed at the lack of economics education in America and how easy people belive anything they hear or see on the news.

Workers in a car factory with little or no education should not be making $70, 000+ a year. I know of people in car plants that make more than people who spent 6 years in university and who had to pay for it out of their own pocket. I am sure everyone in this world would love to have a house, boat, cottage, two cars and only have high school education for the most part to get a really high paying job. But all you have to do is look at the old Soviet Union and why it collapsed. You had doctor's making the same as bus drivers, because that was the "fair/ humn" thing to do. We all know what happened to that socialist utopia...

 

[AndrewGS]

This has absolutely nothing to do with "depression." Honestly, some people really need to go to an economics class...take a little statistics...And maybe some finance...And then you might see the bigger picture. I am always amazed at the lack of economics education in America and how easy people belive anything they hear or see on the news.

Workers in a car factory with little or no education should not be making $70, 000+ a year. I know of people in car plants that make more than people who spent 6 years in university and who had to pay for it out of their own pocket. I am sure everyone in this world would love to have a house, boat, cottage, two cars and only have high school education for the most part to get a really high paying job. But all you have to do is look at the old Soviet Union and why it collapsed. You had doctor's making the same as bus drivers, because that was the "fair/ humn" thing to do. We all know what happened to that socialist utopia...

Spot ****ing on.

What about the hard workin' man at a retail store that makes less than $10/hr., gets pushed constantly for gains and has a company cutting a few hours a week from his schedule to change his status to part time so they can cut the few benefits he pays for? Is he not as deserving as the guy at the UAW plant pushing a broom all day?

In both situations it would be in their best interest to find another entry-level job or get the education needed to get a better job. Even that paid education doesn't work out for many and they end up doing what the uneducated guy does at the retail store.

This is coming from a guy with a GED, BTW. I'm smart enough not to expect executive-level pay for entry-level jobs.

 

[joemac]

It looks like some one would like a dead GM over a GM that can compete with Toyota.

....and the way to do it is NOT give back our wages. How bout Toyota step up and pay their employees more. Novel concept isn't it, especially for a company that profitted how many BILLION last year? The north American market is Toyota's single largest source of income. Only makes it right for the people here to be paid top wages if it's the top source of revenue and profit.

 

[joemac]

Workers in a car factory with little or no education should not be making $70, 000+ a year. I know of people in car plants that make more than people who spent 6 years in university and who had to pay for it out of their own pocket. I am sure everyone in this world would love to have a house, boat, cottage, two cars and only have high school education for the most part to get a really high paying job. But all you have to do is look at the old Soviet Union and why it collapsed. You had doctor's making the same as bus drivers, because that was the "fair/ humn" thing to do. We all know what happened to that socialist utopia...

Paying or obtaining an educucation doesn't automatically entitle and individual in America to make more than someone who doesn't have the same. America is the land of opportunity, some opportunities have different pay structure and different educational requirements. Education is not a right to entitlement of the big check, sorry doesn't work that way.

 

[joemac]

This is coming from a guy with a GED, BTW. I'm smart enough not to expect executive-level pay for entry-level jobs.

$28 x 40 x 52 = $58,240 is not executive pay. Matter of fact looking at median incomes over the country, there's absolutely nothing out of alignment with it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated state median income for a four person family for federal fiscal year 2009.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama........................ $60,298
Alaska......................... 71,781
Arizona.......................... 65,050
Arkansas......................... 52,185
California....................... 74,801
Colorado......................... 75,775
Connecticut...................... 93,821
Delaware......................... 78,321
District of Columbia............. 71,571
Florida.......................... 65,024
Georgia.......................... 66,711
Hawaii........................... 84,472
Idaho............................ 58,066
Illinois......................... 75,484
Indiana.......................... 67,787
Iowa............................. 67,792
Kansas........................... 67,897
Kentucky......................... 60,202
Louisiana........................ 60,161
Maine............................ 63,501
Maryland......................... 94,017
Massachusetts.................... 89,347
Michigan......................... 72,591
Minnesota........................ 81,477
Mississippi...................... 52,992
Missouri......................... 63,274
Montana.......................... 60,576
Nebraska......................... 68,917
Nevada........................... 66,095
New Hampshire.................... 87,396
New Jersey....................... 94,441
New Mexico....................... 52,034
New York......................... 75,513
North Carolina................... 61,420
North Dakota..................... 67,560
Ohio............................. 68,579
Oklahoma......................... 55,031
Oregon........................... 64,832
Pennsylvania..................... 74,072
Rhode Island..................... 78,189
South Carolina................... 59,663
South Dakota..................... 63,508
Tennessee........................ 60,143
Texas............................ 59,808
Utah............................. 63,586
Vermont.......................... 67,884
Virginia......................... 78,413
Washington........................ 75,140
West Virginia..................... 55,920
Wisconsin......................... 72,495
Wyoming........................... 71,559

Suggesting that these people now make $14 x 40 x 52 - $29,120 falls substancially short of median incomes across the country.

Or may be it that some preceptions here of what a good paying job are substancially short of what an actual good paying job is.....

 

[AndrewGS]

$28 x 40 x 52 = $58,240 is not executive pay. Matter of fact looking at median incomes over the country, there's absolutely nothing out of alignment with it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated state median income for a four person family for federal fiscal year 2009.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama........................ $60,298
Alaska......................... 71,781
Arizona.......................... 65,050
Arkansas......................... 52,185
California....................... 74,801
Colorado......................... 75,775
Connecticut...................... 93,821
Delaware......................... 78,321
District of Columbia............. 71,571
Florida.......................... 65,024
Georgia.......................... 66,711
Hawaii........................... 84,472
Idaho............................ 58,066
Illinois......................... 75,484
Indiana.......................... 67,787
Iowa............................. 67,792
Kansas........................... 67,897
Kentucky......................... 60,202
Louisiana........................ 60,161
Maine............................ 63,501
Maryland......................... 94,017
Massachusetts.................... 89,347
Michigan......................... 72,591
Minnesota........................ 81,477
Mississippi...................... 52,992
Missouri......................... 63,274
Montana.......................... 60,576
Nebraska......................... 68,917
Nevada........................... 66,095
New Hampshire.................... 87,396
New Jersey....................... 94,441
New Mexico....................... 52,034
New York......................... 75,513
North Carolina................... 61,420
North Dakota..................... 67,560
Ohio............................. 68,579
Oklahoma......................... 55,031
Oregon........................... 64,832
Pennsylvania..................... 74,072
Rhode Island..................... 78,189
South Carolina................... 59,663
South Dakota..................... 63,508
Tennessee........................ 60,143
Texas............................ 59,808
Utah............................. 63,586
Vermont.......................... 67,884
Virginia......................... 78,413
Washington........................ 75,140
West Virginia..................... 55,920
Wisconsin......................... 72,495
Wyoming........................... 71,559

Suggesting that these people now make $14 x 40 x 52 - $29,120 falls substancially short of median incomes across the country.

Or may be it that some preceptions here of what a good paying job are substancially short of what an actual good paying job is.....

Let's not forget that most of those homes are with two working adults.

 

[hotrod1949]

The cost of Healthcare is no longer a factor come 2010 with VEBA.GM has now close the wage gap with Toyota's U.S workers.GM has got its cost in line with Toyota come 2010-2011.

At which point Toyota will tell its workers, the Detroit 3 have signifigant cost savings that we need to match, and instantly it will be done. The pendulum is swinging against the worker for the moment, watchout when it swings back in the workers favor.

 

[2005CTS-V]

I'm sorry, I have to get in on this. AndrewGS you are correct those are not a single person's income. The UAW wages are out of control. I am a contract employee with a master's degree that manages 22 bldgs for Ford. I get paid a fair salary but should be making more. If I don't like it I should leave so that is my issues. I work many hours and have a ton of responsibility and make less than a janitor who in employed by Ford or GM. That is not right. The janitorial company that cleans my bldgs pay their employees $7/hr, not $26 or maybe now $28 for a non-skilled person. I have no problem with people making a fair wage but things are much more in line with where they should be now and it will help save the company. I work with many UAW skilled trades daily who handle the maintenance on some of my bldgs and they a good guys. They have very little job stress and work 8 hrs and go home. I wish I could do that.
Oh yeah, my dad retired from GM and I only drive GM vehicles at Ford. On my income I can't support my family that includes to two kids and again I havde a masters degree. It's a good thing my wife is a teacher at the top of the pay scale to keep afloat here in MI. She's in the lovely Detroit Public School system so with declining enrollment every year she will be out of a job real soon. She has been laid off and called back several years now.

So, I have no sympathy for these people who have been overpaid by industry standards. They now need to live like the rest of the people that do similar jobs and maybe get a second job or cut their expenses. This is the right thing for the company the UAW realizes they had to agree with it. So good luck to everyone it affects which is many people including myself as a consumer of GM vehicles as well as my father's pension.

 

[tgagneguam]

I wonder what kind of dynamics are set up with two people now performing the same work on the line but being compensated quite differently: one man is being paid almost $30/hour with a pension, the other is being paid half as much with a somewhat matched 401K.

I understand the move to the different pay structure, but I do wonder what the repercussions of this structure will be.