Natwerk Designs

Isn't this one of the most IRONIC news stories in decades? UAW execs want UAW workers to take pay cuts?

Now that the Unions & Govt own Obama-motors (majority shares, 61%) The NEW Owners...the UAW executives, want the UAW workers to take pay cuts...to which the UAW union workers said hell no and chased them out of the meeting. Remember when the UAW would demonize the GM management for wanting workers to take a SMALL cut in benefits? Remember when the workers all went on strike and would scream to the media how evil the management was? Why haven't we heard this on ANY of the Mainstream media? And best of all, the UAW execs are threatening to CLOSE the plant unless the UAW workers make the concessions... AND THIS IS BECAUSE THE UAW MANAGEMENT WANTS TO SELL THE PLANT!! You think maybe Obama should have let GM manage their own plants, as opposed to giving them to the unions? excerpt... As soon as three UAW International representatives took the podium, they were met with boos and shouts of opposition from many of the 631 workers currently employed at the plant. The officials, attempting to speak at the only informational meeting on the proposed contract changes, were forced out within minutes of taking the floor. The incident once again exposes the immense class divide between workers and union officials, who are working actively with the auto companies to drive down wages and eliminate benefits. A vote on the changes was originally scheduled for Monday, but was cancelled by the UAW after Sunday’s informational meeting made it clear that opposition was nearly unanimous. The new contract would, among other concessions, cut wages from an average of $29 an hour to $15.50. General Motors, the UAW, and the state government have been working to sell the plant to JD Norman Industries, which was demanding the nearly 50 percent wage cuts as a condition for the sale. GM and the UAW are now denouncing workers for opposing the destruction of their living standards. The UAW has worked closely with the Obama administration in pushing through a Wall Street-organized restructuring of the auto industry, premised on a drastic lowering in the wages of auto workers. (See “The “return of Detroit”: Wall Street celebrates the destruction of workers’ jobs and wages”.) Earlier this month, incoming UAW President Bob King declared that the UAW is “ready, willing and able to do what it takes” to ensure the success of the Big Three. He concluded, “The 21st-century UAW recognizes that flexibility, innovation, lean manufacturing and continuous cost improvement are paramount in the global marketplace.” In other words, the UAW will directly collaborate with the auto companies to impose poverty wages onto workers to boost the profits of the auto companies. The explosion at the UAW meeting in Indianapolis is the latest in a series of events exposing the anger that is building up among auto workers. In January, workers at the New United Motor Manufacturing (NUMMI) plant in Fremont, California clashed sharply with UAW executives after the UAW refused to do anything to prevent the plant from being shut down. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/aug2010/inds-a17.shtml Oh, and liberals, before you piss on the link, it's from the World Socialist Website..not exactly Fox News. Ranger: Wrong...the UAW asked it's UAW workers to make those concessions, and were thrown out of the meeting...remember?

Public Comments

1. And now the rest of the story: GM says it will close the plant in 18 months if they can't sell the plant to another car manufacturer. They currently have an offer, but the prospective purchaser says he will not buy if the current labor contract stays in place. The prospective purchaser says the cost of labor must be cut by 50% or no deal. UAW is saying that half of a wage is better than no wage in 18 months. UAW is a business and they must make a profit or go bankrupt just like any other business. They would rather have half the money from union dues than no money from union dues.
2. It is asking a lot to require their wages be cut in half. Hopefully there is room for negotiation. $15.50 is peanuts. Have the execs cut their own pay? How about the union leaders. Surely the union members should have some say in how much their union leaders are paid. Also union dues should be cut accordingly. Also, I wonder what they will do about health insurance in a year or two. I see a big shake up here. I'd quit the union.
3. Looks as though the "love Affair" has run into a hiccup. Union & Management have a relationship similar to Science & Nature. Science has everything figured out until one day it comes home early and finds Nature bl_wing the neighbor. You sold your vote to someone who sold you. Hope & Change (you got what was promised)(vague nonsense). Reality bites. Conservatives saw this coming, while Liberals were still in the clouds.. Good to have you back. Now let run the pigs out of the house, they don't belong.