I have never heard of an autoworker complain about getting laid off, LOL I do find it funny how we all are so willing to cut someone elses pay
Lmao come on now Germ, you and I both know their union would never allow such a travesty! To think, a union worker out of work?! Nonsense! Mismanagement played a pivotal role in these auto corps failing, but they had a forced hand in large part by the auto worker unions. But that is a whole nother 20 page thread in it's own. This is about the greedy company owners and managers!
True story The plant manager and his number two were in a video Conference meeting in 2000. They called me because they could not hear the others on the call. After swearing at me for a good minute, letting me know how incompetent I was for not setting this up correctly for them. I calmly walked over the the TV monitor and turned the volume up. That is GM managment at it's finest. My favorite UAW story is I went out to get some batteries for a beeper, yes I am dating myself. I went to the receiving dock to get them, we had ordered 15000 AA for this order. By the time I got from my desk to the receiving dock(about 3 mins) half the shippment was lifted.
Today on the radio, a brit was interviewing one of the demonstrators on Wall Street. The kid said he was demonstrating because he wanted someone to pay his tuition for him and he was tired of billionaires taking advantage of the middle and lower classes by paying less taxes. When he was told he was wrong on the tax issue, all he could respond with was "oh". Then the reporter said "if someone else has to pay your tuition, shouldn't they pay for a new car for me too?" The student was all against that idea, but he was adament that someone else needed to pay for his college education besides himself.
Pride, Greed, & Entitlement. There's plenty for everyone! I fear that only something much worse than 911 & the latest economic depresion will change the American people. I also fear we may not be that far from something of the sort.
First, I never said GM had to move offshore, however, it sounds as if some of the work has by your own admission. But, there are plenty of manufacturers that did have to move all or in part offshore due to high wage demands. Ofcourse, those left without a job will blame the management. But you still did not answer my question. Should a non-degree laborer be paid so well that he is able to retire in his 50's with a full benefit package??? Should they make as much as a small town family practice Doctor??? Will that keep America strong??? Seems odd to me that Toyota can build a vehicle here that is great quality for around $50/hr. wages and benefits and GM is more like $70/hr. wages and benefits. By the way, I am not trying to belittle the hardworking American auto worker, but I think they have been told that they deserve pay that may not necessarily be in line with the jobs they perform. I dont see any math and science teachers making that kind of money, and they have huge college loans to repay. By the way, the fact that GM is paying back their bailout really doesnt make me a fan. But, I will continue to be a fan of you my friend because you can cuss and discuss with class. For that, I thank you.
For a UAW worker to make more than a doctor he or she is working 12 hours a day seven days a week. Working in any factory is not easy or healthy work. So thinking they get to retire in luxury is crazy. Their pensions are very modest, and once they start getting social security that amount gets taken out. They made the deal, worked their hours that was agreed to by a company. So I really don't have a problem with anyone making what they make. I do think we over pay for some executives, but hey they got the pay so more power to them. My neighbor retired in his mid 50's, I would not want his life one bit. He is sick all the time and has some sore of respiratory disease in his lungs. My grandfather died from as as asbestos in his lungs from working 40 years in factory. Looking at the benefits it's a pretty good deal, look at what it is going to cost a lot of these guys is a way higher price. I just find it amazing how we want to cut everyone pay and worry about what others get. There are some real issues the tea party is addressing and then you have the crazies, same thing is going on in NY. Michigan is going to be in real good shape in few years are governor has done some really great things. Teachers pay 20% health insurance now, tenure is gone, teachers will stay by performance now, not how long they have taught. Flat tax for business, and to make up the revenue he lost, he raised taxes so we could have a balance budget. It can be done, listen to the people in NYC, not the crazy ones, but the ones who have been out of work for a long time. Never forget we are all in this together. Fletch respect to you my friend.
I could care less what a business choses to pay it's employees. If they are careless with benefit agreements and wages, they will run themselves out of business (as evidenced). My only issue is when the workers get together and as a Union DEMAND what they are to be paid and force the companies hand. Employees are just that, employees. They should NOT have the power of employers. If a company made bad decisions they should go out of business. If they pay too little, workers will go elsewhere and they will increase pay. If they pay too much they won't turn a profit and eventually go belly up, as seen. When they are FORCED to pay too much, they don't have much of a choice. Oversimplified, but basic principles of economics still apply to the big dogs. It's the same thing as the NBA lockout right now IMO. Players are claiming it is unfair for the freaking OWNERS of the teams to determine what amount of the profits they keep. It is THEIR company for crying out loud. Don't like their wages, go get another job. Just don't organize a group to demand to either be paid what you want or not work at all. I'd LOVE to see these players follow through with running their mouth of starting their own league. Millionaires crying about not being fairly compensated by the owners of their company are keeping thousands out of work who actually need the money (like the hot dog or ticket guys)...
I have to agree with this. Many times the Union demands have forced their own members out of work in the USA and then the best they can come up with is to blame management. lol Sadly, the members for the most part believe it. Wish more of the union members would educate themselves as to where every penny of their dues go. I think most would be sickened.
Interesting view TEmbry, let me ask you this if the Generations before us, mainly WWII generation had that same view. Would we be where we are today? Would we be better or worst? I don't know, I do know they left us a great gift and we are pissing it away on both ends. As for the NBA, who really cares
I developed a theory called the "Chrysler Theory"... Decades ago Chrysler was doing extremely well in profits. When contract talks came up, the unions recieved a huge amount of concessions. This was all in contract. So when the market tanked and sales and profits fell, Chrysler was still obligated to uphold their contract. Ultimately, this led to their demise. Eventually they were sold, passed around and finally ended up back in the hands of US owners. Where am I going with all this? Well look at what has happened in the US. The economy flourished, people were making money hand over fist, entitlement and aid programs skyrocketed. Then suddenly the market fell out, and sure enough, there's no money but the US is on the hook for all these obligated promises. So now a decision will have to be made on a solution. Like Chrysler, will we be sold like some business? Will we have to go back on programs and cut funding in order to stay afloat? Fortunately, I believe we're in a position to fix everything before we sink. However, raised taxes, spending measures, and short term projects will only deepen the hole.
This: Do you really want to live in a society where just getting by requires a person to hold down two jobs and work 60 to 70 hours a week? Is that your idea of the American Dream? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life working two jobs and 60 to 70 hours a week? Do you think you can? Because, let me tell you, kid, that’s not going to be as easy when you’re 50 as it was when you were 20.I don’t want you to “get by” working two jobs and 60 to 70 hours a week. If you’re willing to put in that kind of effort, I want you to get rich. I want you to have a comprehensive healthcare plan. I want you vacationing in the Bahamas every couple of years, with your beautiful wife and healthy, happy kids. I want you rewarded for your hard work, and I want your exceptional effort to reap exceptional rewards. I want you to accumulate wealth and invest it in Wall Street. And I want you to make more money from those investments. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/12/1025555/-Open-Letter-to-that-53-Guy
I heard a demonstrator say yesterday "I want the rich to pay my college tuition". The demands of the individuals like this is what you get when parents coddle their kids instead of raising them. Spare the rod.....
This just really needs to be stopped. It's completely unorganized and serving no purpose except to disrupt business and cost money. The more I hear the people there the more upset I get. I go to work every day. I don't get a handout. How did I do it? Well I worked 8 hours a day on diesel engines then went to school for 4-6+ hours a night. Nobody paid for my school. I didn't blame rich people for me having to work hard. Now you have all these people who either don't have jobs, or quit the one they do have to come sit and occupy a park that working people's tax money pays for, all while saying it isn't fair they don't make as much money as rich people. To the guy above about having to work 2 jobs, well sorry about you. I would leave my house at 6:45 am and not get home until after 9:00 pm, and lived on nothing. Why? So I wouldn't have to work 2 jobs. Nobody gave me any money to get that done. I never needed a handout and never asked for one. It's not my fault you didn't make the same decision I did. It's called sacrafice. You don't just get things in life. That's not how life works. That's what these people need to learn. They think they're sacrafice is sitting out on concrete complaining about how life isn't fair.
These hippy, jobless, entitlement idiots are all camped out in a little park across from my building here in downtown Pittsburgh. Pathetic
