UAW strike

Treasure_Hunter said:
Housing and cost of living depends on where you live, there are lots of places in America with cheaper housing and cost of living.
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Agreed. I read these prices and I'm rather horrified. My mortgage payment is well below the "average" listed a few posts back (but I pay my own taxes and insurance rather than "escrow" them in the mortgage payment). But then we also bought it several years ago before inflation went absolutely stark raving mad, and we got a super low interest rate, too.

But the flip side of living in an area with a lower cost of living is that the wages tend to be lower as well. At least for jobs where you actually have to be there, not "zoom" remotely across the country...
 

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My Dad was a UAW member and retired from the GM Lakewood plant in Atlanta, Ga. after 33 years. My Dad paid his dues and walked the Pickett line when they went on strike, but he was not pro union. My Dad felt that when the unions were first formed in America, there was a great need for them. The working man prior to the unions could be worked to death working long hours for little pay, with no benefits, and little or no job security. This was truly hard on a man or a worker attempting to support a family. Dad felt that the unions were formed, and soon became corrupted like anything else when money and power become involved. When the unions went on strike, the workers had to scrounge and scramble to find work until the plant would reopen, while having to walk the Pickett line as well. This put the workers working for lower wages and having to take time away from their families and their lower paying jobs to walk the Pickett line. Not all UAW members are or were pro union, and understandably so.
 

I live in Anderson Indiana.
Growing up there were about 25 gm plants here, in fact my dad retired from gm.
The union demands drove them to Mexico.
So now , we have a lot of big empty lots where the factories used to be.
 

devldog said:
My Dad was a UAW member and retired from the GM Lakewood plant in Atlanta, Ga. after 33 years. My Dad paid his dues and walked the Pickett line when they went on strike, but he was not pro union. My Dad felt that when the unions were first formed in America, there was a great need for them. The working man prior to the unions could be worked to death working long hours for little pay, with no benefits, and little or no job security. This was truly hard on a man or a worker attempting to support a family. Dad felt that the unions were formed, and soon became corrupted like anything else when money and power become involved. When the unions went on strike, the workers had to scrounge and scramble to find work until the plant would reopen, while having to walk the Pickett line as well. This put the workers working for lower wages and having to take time away from their families and their lower paying jobs to walk the Pickett line. Not all UAW members are or were pro union, and understandably so.
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Old timer at one shops Dad was in on one of the early sit down strikes.
And yes , unions helped protect workers from severe abuses.

Many union members expect thier steward to go to meetings and work grievances ect.
But when you're in a union , you are part of the union.
Yes you can pay dues and call it good. That's part of how $500 a week strike pay is happening.

Where a union can really matter is term/definition of employment Vs the common of late "at will" employment. The signed clause of such reading something like " I have the right to terminate my employment at will as does my employer" is a death knell in defense of a job if the employer has half a brain.
A nonunion at will employee has less leverage in wrongful discharge. Yes there's abuse in cases but overall....It's a big difference. (The hows and whys not a topic in any current negotiation that I know of. It's hopefully not taken for granted benefit. An employer would do well to "demand" it as part of a contract in exchange for the unreasonable demands already being advanced.)
 

Looking back my father walked the picket line for 9 months in the late 60's.
$40.00 a week strike pay.
2 kids still at home.
" I'll never gain back what I lost over these past 9 months. I did it for all the young guys just starting out"
The sawmill had 3 shifts, 450 men, today it's shuttered.
 

Strong union $$$
This is a few years old.

During this year’s convention, held last week in Detroit, the UAW dropped the formula and returned to more straightforward language. The union’s president, currently Ray Curry, was assigned an approximately $207,000 annual salary in the language that was adopted.

Salaries for secretary-treasurer and the three vice presidents were approved at $191,750 and $186,009, respectively. Other International Executive Board members would receive salaries of $171,082. Those salaries, which amount to an approximately 3% raise, would grow in March when another 3% raise, contingent on members getting profit-sharing checks, kicks in. The leaders are also eligible for payments this year and next of up to 3% of their salaries, also contingent on profit-sharing for members. Currently, Frank Stuglin is secretary-treasurer, and Cindy Estrada, Terry Dittes and Chuck Browning are the vice presidents, although Estrada and Dittes are retiring.
 

  • Vacations: Vacation costs vary significantly depending on the destination, duration, and activities. Assuming a moderate family vacation budget, setting aside around $5,000 to $10,000 per year for vacations can be reasonable.
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Sorry, but no one is guaranteed a 10k vacation every year. You shouldn't be an autoworker if you want a "comfortable" lifestyle. Blue collar jobs rarely pay that much.

  • Cars: Owning two cars adds additional costs for purchase, insurance, maintenance, and fuel. On average, these expenses can come to approximately $8,000 to $12,000 per year per car. Hence, a rough estimate for owning two cars would be $16,000 to $24,000 per year.
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8k to maintian a car? My insurance is less than 2k. I drive about 15k a year, so that's around 2k for gas. Maybe another $500 for maintenance, such as oil changes and other small expenses. That's 4.5k max.

Maybe I'm wrong, but don't autoworkers get benefits like health insurance and paid vacations? Health insurance around here costs about 8k a year, so that's one heck of a benefit. Getting 3 or 4 weeks paid vacation is another four grand that the automakers give them as well. Just my take on it...
 

Plus, to add to the above from Freebird, #1 in that post from Clay included transportation which includes #3 Cars:
 

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FreeBirdTim said:
Sorry, but no one is guaranteed a 10k vacation every year. You shouldn't be an autoworker if you want a "comfortable" lifestyle. Blue collar jobs rarely pay that much.



8k to maintian a car? My insurance is less than 2k. I drive about 15k a year, so that's around 2k for gas. Maybe another $500 for maintenance, such as oil changes and other small expenses. That's 4.5k max.

Maybe I'm wrong, but don't autoworkers get benefits like health insurance and paid vacations? Health insurance around here costs about 8k a year, so that's one heck of a benefit. Getting 3 or 4 weeks paid vacation is another four grand that the automakers give them as well. Just my take on it...
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Your estimate on the expenses for maintaining an auto is spot on to what we do also. Given that the replacement of say brakes/tires/suspension etc... is amortized over the years. As we all know as the vehicle gets older things have to be replaced, and it gives a hit on the wallet.

Vacations-There's no $$$ limit on what can be saved or spent.
Buddy went to the resort in Bahamas and dropped $80K in 30 days (no gambling)lots of bubbly pop though.
Then another buddy went camping for a few weeks and it cost -$500 all in.

The benefit package for the AW is good. Pension/health which adds a good deal of bottomline $$$ over the folks that are just working blue collar for good wages but no benefits.
Everyone has to put the time in to get the multi weeks off for vacation.

It all depends on who is doing the reporting on what it costs too do what in this world. Each report is slanted to benefit the recipient of the report.
It seems that everything is looked at and quoted off the world according to "The Truman Show"
Little house/white picket fence/wife/2.4 kids/dog/cat/9-5/5 days a week/2 weeks off structured life that so many do.
Well trained sheep, just the way they want the world to be.
 

Look at what happened to Detroit. I’m not against people getting together with a company and agreeing on a fair plan and sticking to it, I’m against greed and using power for personal gain. After a while you price yourself out of a job and they move to another country or automate the process. Bottom line the company is there to make a profit and provide quality products/services to the consumers. The company’s purpose isn’t so I can have a job, that is just a part of the whole process. I work maintenance at a rubber plant where most of the employees are USW btw, so I see it firsthand.
 

Cars: Owning two cars adds additional costs for purchase, insurance, maintenance, and fuel. On average, these expenses can come to approximately $8,000 to $12,000 per year per car. Hence, a rough estimate for owning two cars would be $16,000 to $24,000 per year.

The average cost of monthly payments for a new automobile can vary depending on several factors such as the purchase price of the car, the interest rate, loan term, and down payment. However, according to Experian's Q4 2020 State of the Automotive Finance Market report, the average monthly car payment for a new vehicle was $568 ($6,816 a year) for loans and leases combined. Keep in mind that this is an average and individual monthly payments can be higher or lower based on personal circumstances and choices. It is recommended to consult with a financial advisor or a car dealership for more accurate information specific to your situation.
 

Clay Diggins said:
Cars: Owning two cars adds additional costs for purchase, insurance, maintenance, and fuel. On average, these expenses can come to approximately $8,000 to $12,000 per year per car. Hence, a rough estimate for owning two cars would be $16,000 to $24,000 per year.

The average cost of monthly payments for a new automobile can vary depending on several factors such as the purchase price of the car, the interest rate, loan term, and down payment. However, according to Experian's Q4 2020 State of the Automotive Finance Market report, the average monthly car payment for a new vehicle was $568 ($6,816 a year) for loans and leases combined. Keep in mind that this is an average and individual monthly payments can be higher or lower based on personal circumstances and choices. It is recommended to consult with a financial advisor or a car dealership for more accurate information specific to your situation.
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Wow that is amazing. It’s sad that folks feel they have to have new vehicles to keep up the look. I have been blessed with three vehicles that are dependable and paid for.
 

It is difficult to predict the exact outcome of concessions by carmakers on their competitiveness compared to Tesla's labor cost advantage. However, there are a few points to consider:

  1. Labor cost advantage: Tesla is known for its vertically integrated business model, which includes its own manufacturing facilities and a significant investment in automation. This allows Tesla to have more control over production costs and potentially lower labor expenses compared to traditional carmakers. This labor cost advantage could give Tesla a competitive edge.
  2. Concessions by carmakers: If carmakers make significant concessions towards reducing labor costs, it is possible that they may narrow the gap with Tesla. However, it depends on the specifics of the concessions and whether they can effectively optimize their manufacturing processes and adopt automation technologies to achieve cost savings.
  3. Other factors: Labor cost is not the sole determinant of competitiveness in the automotive industry. Factors such as product quality, technological innovation, brand reputation, and customer demand also play crucial roles. Car manufacturers need to invest in research and development, improve their supply chains, and address other cost components like raw materials to stay competitive.
In conclusion, while concessions by carmakers may help them reduce labor costs and potentially narrow the gap with Tesla, competitiveness in the automotive industry is influenced by several factors, and a holistic approach is required to remain competitive.
 

I was raised in a UNION family , no one ever questioned whether the UNion was right or wrong . Part of the problem is that no one tells the truth on either side . People over here in the states see Europe going at least in part to a 32 hour work week and assume it will work here . Im not sure that can work here . Whether it can or cant isnt clear but you cant change the work environment over night . As far as wages go , I tend to agree with most of what I hear on this post .
I just wish things were a bit more transparent and we really knew all the facts .
 

There is something else I'd like to say ,
I dont begrudge anyone a raise in pay or salary ( regardless of which side of the isle you stand on ) .
From my point of view , yes I understand my life choices are my choices and I'm fine with that , but many of these big three workers make a very tidy wage . It may not be such a bad idea for some of them to see life from another persons point of view and income . It may just temper their demands a bit . That being said , the CEO's and other assorted big wigs seem to have grown to big for their britches .
Most of what I've said may be rediculously obvious but sometimes I wonder !!!
 

I'm all for somebody gettin at least a COLA. One thing that caught my attention was one worker on TV sayin they hadn't had a raise in twenty years. Where was your union then? Course, he didn't show up on the newscasts much more after that.
 

Unions suck, I was in the steelworkers union in Pittsburgh for a year and couldn't stand the fact of paying union dues so all the bums that worked there were protected, I walked out and never looked back.. When I say these guys were lazy I'm talking the bottom of the barrel..
Union workers have a sense Entitlement, the motto earing a living wage should be changed to maybe they're living outside they're means,and want somone else to foot that lifestyle....
This country is in hell right now, and I hope we get back on track, and I hope these car companies tell the union to shove it and start over non union like the mines did.
 

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